Expectations
by GoodDayForLoveToDie
Summary: "Maybe this is what it feels like to be on death row, y'know just without the actual death and just the metaphorical death of my life." Rose Weasley joins Hogwarts with the intention of enjoying every second of her time there - albeit with the slight hiccup that is James Potter. She never bargained on the love, drama and friendship that came along with it.
1. The Sorting Hat First Year

I took a deep breath as I waved goodbye to my parents who were stood huddled together at the edge of the platform, their arms draped protectively over my little brother Hugo, his own bright blue eyes looked like they were fighting back the tears my Mum had already given in to - huh, who knew Hugo had feelings. I would miss the little runt though, maybe a little more than I'd care to admit to anyone but myself. That was all apart of going to Hogwarts, the missing people, my mum had told me that the day I received my letter, "Rosie, I cried every night for the first fortnight, I missed my parents, I missed my house, hell I even missed the homeless man that walked around my village with a trolley. It gets better though, I can promise you that, Hogwarts will become as much of a

home to you as here is". I let my Mum's words fill my mind as I turned my back on all I knew and entered the Hogwarts Express.

"Over here! Rosie!" James' obnoxiously loud voice bellowed from the door of a near compartment as swarms of people bustled past me."Got the best seats in the house, didn't I?"

"I guess so" I often found it was best to just agree with James - it saved a lot of arguments and hexes for both sides.

"Saved you a seat Rosie." my (favourite - but don't tell any of the others that) cousin Al smiled at me, patting the empty seat next to him, knowing I'd appreciate the window seat.

"Thanks Al." I looked around the rest of the now full compartment made up of my many cousins, namely James, Dominique, her sister Victoire, Roxanne and her younger brother Fred as well as Dom's best friend Isabella Falcone. "You nervous?"

"Why would I be nervous?" Al answered calmly.

"For the sorting." He had to be nervous, we were the children of the Golden Trio. Al knew the hefty expectations that weighed on his shoulders just as much as I did. Imagine the scandal if we were sorted into anything but Gryffindor. It would be splashed across the trashy magazines of the wizarding world without a doubt. Both Roxanne and Victoire had been sorted into Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw respectively but the pressure wasn't nearly as great for them - Al, James, Lily, Hugo and I on the other hand would cause an uproar.

"You've got to really want it Rosie." I loved Al, he was my best friend in the whole world bar no-one but damn, that boy confused me sometimes.

"I've got to want what? Did you even listen to what I said?" I asked, wondering who'd cast a confundus charm on my cousin.

"Gryffindor." Al smirked. "That's what my Dad told me. The hat nearly put him in Slytherin but he said that he wanted Gryffindor so much it had no choice but to put him there."

"I never knew that." Huh, my Uncle Harry the almost-Slytherin. "But what if it doesn't work Al, what if i'm not meant to be a Gryffindor."

"You're the bravest person I know Rosie, you're a Gryffindor through and through." the soft voice of my sixth year cousin Victoire interrupted our conversation.

"She's also the smartest person I know" Roxanne chirped in from next to Victoire - oh great now everyone was about to have a mass debate about my potential house "Maybe she'll be a Ravenclaw."

"No way" James shouted from the door. "Rosie is going to be a Gryffindor, I bet you a galleon Roxy."

"Don't start your bets James, she's nervous as it is, look how pale she is" Dom nudged James in the side harder than probably necessary.

"You're on" Roxy ignored Dom's attempts to stop his immoral gambling and shook hands with James.

"What about Hufflepuff?" Fred smirked stifling a giggle and looked at his sister. "Imagine if you were a Huffy Rose."

"There's nothing wrong with Hufflepuffs Fred" Roxy sighed, rolling her eyes. "Ignore him Rose, he's being housist"

"If you turn out to be a Slytherin I'm disowning you as my cousin" James dead-panned - I knew he was joking but a part of me thought that maybe he wasn't. Maybe becoming a Slytherin wouldn't be too bad of a deal if it meant that James Potter would never speak to me again. The thought of a world free of James' constant teasing and annoying swipes was a happy one.

"Slytherin isn't all bad" the previously silent Isabella smiled warmly at me.

"That's because you went out with one for three months" Dom winked at her friend. "And from what I hear Rosie, they aren't a bad snog"

"Dominique" Isabella's previously pale complexion tinged pink at Dom's words.

"I know I'm going to be a Gryffindor" Al broke the awkward tension left hanging in the air of the compartment, all of us ignoring the grimace that had appeared on James' face.

"I'm glad you do." I muttered.

"Rosie, I don't lose bets. You're going to be a Gryffindor." James winked at me, the grimace replaced by his usual grin and for once in my life I prayed that James Potter was right.

The rest of the journey passed with the chatter and usual teasing that surrounded the Potter-Weasley cousins; mainly talk of parties that James said he was going to host, Quidditch try-outs and complaints of exams from Roxy and Victoire.

"It's even better in person isn't it" I grinned at Al as we walked through the corridors of the ancient castle following the herd of other first years. "I mean I've read about it so much but it really doesn't do it justice."

"It's amazing and this is our home now Rosie" His words reminded me of my Mum's "We've got to make the most of it, it'll be over before we know it"

"We've got seven years before we leave Al, it's our first bloody day!" I bumped Al with my shoulder and laughed at his sudden seriousness

"I know, I just don't want to waste a minute of it"

"We are now going to make our way into the Grand Hall" Al was interrupted by Headmaster McGonagall, her voice silencing the room. "Where you will be sorted into your

houses, your house at Hogwarts will be your family in many ways whilst here."

"Al! Rosie!" I turned to my right to see James and Fred at the Gryffindor table quickly sit down and shut up when Professor McGonagall shot them a look that read detention for a month as we made our way to the front of the large room.

The headmaster began to read names from her piece of parchment as each house gained an equal amount of students, each table cheering profusely whenever someone joined.

"Malfoy, Scorpius" Wait - why did I know that name? It was definitely familiar to me and then I remembered as a small blond boy took his seat in front of the Great Hall. I had been warned not to get too close to the son of my Dad's childhood enemy, it all seemed rather petty to me and I suspected my Mum would disagree with my Dad encouraging rivalry before I'd even stepped foot into the castle. The boy didn't look evil; I half-expected some sort of demon with red eyes and horns coming out of his forehead. In fact, he looked terrified as he squeezed his eyes shut as the hat seemingly spoke to him - his sorting had lasted a lot longer than any before him.

"Well if you insist...SLYTHERIN!" Scorpius relaxed as he ran off to join the green and silver table, his smile stretching from ear to ear - I imagine that's how I'll look if I get sorted into Gryffindor. A few more names were called before Al took his seat and was sorted into Gryffindor in about a second of the hat touching his head. I had to be a Gryffindor, I _had_ to be.

"Weasley, Rose" a few cheers erupted from the Gryffindor table as I smiled weakly at my cousins before walking up the steps to what felt like my execution. Maybe this is what it feels like to be on death row, y'know just without the actual death and just the metaphorical death of my life.

"Another Weasley" the hat whispered as I closed my eyes "You're different though"

_No I'm not. I'm a Weasley. A real Weasley._

"Yes yes very different. You've inherited your mother's brains I see, much more intelligent than most. You're a bright spark you are girl, Ravenclaw would suit you well."

_No not Ravenclaw. Not Ravenclaw. Merlin, I'm going to be a Ravenclaw. No._

"Not a fan of Ravenclaw I see?"

_I shook my head_

"But your thirst for knowledge, it would be such a waste anywhere else."

_No, not Ravenclaw. I'm not as clever as my Mum. I'm not._

"Very well. You're very loyal, yes you would do anything for your family wouldn't you? I see that, it's a big part of your personality."

_No. I can't be a Hufflepuff. I can't. No. Please, no. I'm not nice enough - I once pushed James into a lake and wanted him to drown. Not Hufflepuff._

"Okay, okay. This is a difficult one."

_Why, this isn't fair. Al got sorted in 2 seconds. Why me. _

"You know exactly what you want"

_Yes, yes I do. I know what house I want to be. Merlin, yes I do._

"Slytherin's are full of ambition."

_No. No. No. Not Slytherin. Not Slytherin. Not Slytherin. Anything but Slytherin._

"It would serve you well - you could learn a lot in that house Rose"

_**No.**_

"That leaves us with Gryffindor"

_Yes. Please. Yes, Gryffindor._

"You are a brave girl but you aren't reckless."

_I am. I am definitely reckless. I can be reckless. Give me a chance._

"Your heart is full of courage. I can see that. "

_Yes. Yes it is._

"The choice is yours."

_What? What do you mean? I had never read of this happening before_

"Any house would serve you well Rose Weasley."

_**Gryffindor**_

"Then so be it...GRYFFINDOR" the hat shouted, the table on the far right of the hall jumped up and down as I ran to join them, relief flooding every bone in my body.

"What happened up there Rosie?" Al questioned as he stuffed his mouth with as much food as he could get his hands on during the feast.

"What do you mean?" I asked, once again confused at his words. "You were sorted too"

"You were up there for a long time. What did it say to you?" I hadn't realised how long it had been, it felt like hours to me but assumed it had only been a minute or two.

"It told me to choose." I couldn't lie to my best friend, though I had every intention of lying to everyone else. "It tried to tell me I was suited to all of them."

"Even Slytherin?" Al's eyebrows raised as I nodded.

"Even Slytherin" But that didn't matter because I was here with Al sat at the Gryffindor table just as it was meant to be.

"Good thing it let you pick. I couldn't imagine you in Slytherin." He nodded over to the table on the far end of the Great Hall. The table seemed much quieter than ours, I spotted the small group of first years sat at the end of the table, Scorpius Malfoy chatting to a dark-haired boy I remembered to be called something Nott. Scorpius looked happy, maybe he was like me, felt the immense pressure of his family to be something that maybe you weren't sure you were. Either way today had ended well for both of us, we were exactly where we wanted to be.


	2. Not So Bad After All Second Year

"James Sirius Potter you had _better_ start running because I swear to Merlin I am going to hex you into the next century" Dom sounded so much like her Mother when angry it was spooky; close your eyes and you could be in Shell cottage with Aunt Fleur berating Uncle Bill for not doing the dishes.

"Dom, I didn't do anything" James took the empty seat next to me at the busy Gryffindor table being trailed by a murderous part-Veela crazy lady.

"You didn't do _anything_?" she spat at him "Do you call embarrassing me like that in front of everybody in our class_ 'not doing anything'_? Because, news flash Jamesie that is doing something! I am never going to forgive you for this, I am never helping you with your homework, I am never ever going to save you breakfast when you oversleep _and_ I am going to tell everybody I know that you are actually more into boys than girls."

"You wouldn't" James was serious now – if there's one thing he valued above all else it was his ability to have any girl that he wanted whenever he wanted.

"Try me" Dom shouted before turning on her heel and going to join some of her Ravenclaw friends at their table which was probably for the best because sometimes I see something in Dom's eye that tells me she is capable of murder and it's probably best not to test that theory.

"What did you do to her?" Al asked his brother who was now stuffing his face with a sandwich, making his cheeks poke out like a hamster's whilst crumbs dribbled down his chin– it's a wonder why any girl would find him attractive never mind the whole castle fawning after him like he was some sort of demi-God.

"We were in charms" James mumbled before swallowing the rest of his lunch "And I overheard bloody McDonald talking about Dom; put it this way it wasn't very nice what they were saying. Me, being the honourable cousin and friend that I am, defended our dear crazy Dommie and informed him that she was not a slut and that she was still a virgin."

"You told Harry McDonald that Dominique was still a virgin" Al couldn't contain his laughter as he spat out juice onto the table his eyes widening in shock.

"Did you also tell the whole of your charms class that Dom was a virgin?" I didn't need to ask I already knew the answer – yes, yes he did. James Potter winning the think before you speak prize every year for the rest of his life.

"Well I wasn't having him mouthing off about how many blokes she'd probably slept with" James looked at Al now "You'd do the same if it was Rosie"

Much like Al and I being best friends as well as cousins, James, Dom and Fred were as close as we were, except since they'd joined Hogwarts Dom had found a friend in Isabella – I couldn't blame her really, I think if I had to spend too much time with James and Fred I'd want to jump off the nearest tall building.

James had left to speak to Dom, well when I say speak, I use the term loosely. What will probably happen is she will shout some more, he will laugh and tell her to stop being like her mother, Dom will have a sudden epiphany that she is in fact being exactly like Aunt Fleur and the two will go back to normal with Dom's possible murderous tendencies disappearing until the next time.

"Settle down, settle down" Professor Speke shouted from the front of class as she took a seat at her desk, she was a tall, slight woman with fair hair and is well known around the castle as one of the more tolerant Professors. Muggle studies was one of the few classes that Gryffindors and Slytherins shared and despite this it was probably one of my favourites. "Welcome all to Second year Muggle Studies, I hope you find this year interesting and take a lot away from your studies"

"Yeah right" Al mocked from beside me, it was safe to say Muggle studies was not one of his strong points - he spent most of last year's class napping.

"It's not that bad, you need to give it a chance" I whispered as Professor Speke spoke about what we would be covering in the upcoming term.

"But I already know I don't like it" Al commented.

"It might not be what you expect" How could he be so against something that he didn't have a clue about? Annoying definitely ran in the Potter genes.

"For the first project on Muggle transportation, you are going to work with a partner, you will work together to produce an essay that will become 50% of your final grade." I could see Al's grin widen as he realised that he'd been handed 50% of his grade by me; stupid, lucky Potter boys. "When I call your name I want you to go and sit by your partner. I trust you all know each other's names by now."

"Bloody hell" I heard Al mutter, hopefully his partner will make him work harder than I would have for his grade. Professor Speke ran a few pairs of names off her list as I realised a pattern was emerging – she was pairing Gryffindors with Slytherins.

"Al Potter, you'll be with Joseph Zabini" Ouch. I looked over at Zabini, yep still as scary as last year. Poor Al.

"Laters Rosie" Al dragged his feet over to the Slytherin boy who looked just as happy about the arrangement as Al did.

"Rose Weasley, you're with Scorpius Malfoy" The blond boy took up Al's recently vacant seat and smiled apologetically. I didn't know much about Scorpius apart from what my Dad had told me and that was to stay away and make sure I beat him in every test – I hadn't purposefully stayed away from the Malfoy boy, our paths just hadn't crossed. Unlike his Slytherin counterparts, Scorpius kept himself to himself and didn't go around spreading misery wherever he went. I'd much rather be partnered with Malfoy than Zabini who _definitely_ enjoyed inflicting misery.

"Hi, I'm Rose" I smiled brightly at Scorpius and outstretched my hand. When have I ever listened to my Dad anyway?

"I know" he shook my hand quickly, looking slightly confused. Poor bloke being in Slytherin probably had never seen someone be nice before "I'm Scorpius"

"It's nice to meet you" My Mum had always told me to treat people as you wish to be treated, unless of course you were talking to James, he was an exception to the rule. "So, do you like Muggle Studies? It's probably my favourite subject, not that my cousin over there would agree, Merlin he looks like he's about to crap himself. Is Zabini your friend? Al looks terrified, so much for being the son of the Chosen One." I was rambling, wasn't I?

"It's my favourite subject too, just don't tell my Dad that" Scorpius laughed, I don't think I'd ever seen a Slytherin laugh when it wasn't at the expense of somebody else "Zabini's alright, well as alright as anyone with an IQ of a baby chimpanzee can be"

"You're not friends then?" I'd assumed that all the Slytherins were a close-knit bunch, they had to be they didn't talk to anyone else.

"We're roommates." He answered calmly "We get along"

"Would you be friends if you weren't roommates?" I don't know why I asked that, really I had no right to pry into this boy's personal life in the first conversation we'd ever had.

"Probably not" Scorpius answered honestly, chuckling to himself. "Do you like your roommates?"

"Most of the time" I thought about the girls I shared a dorm with – Katie, Hannah, Alice and Ella – they were nice enough but we weren't exactly having sleepovers and sharing secrets every night "My cousin Al is my best friend. I'm closer to my family than I am my roommates"

The remainder of the class passed uneventfully as Professor Speke explained what was required of the essay, deadlines and how best to receive a good grade. I was glad I was paired with Scorpius as we arranged times to plan and write the essay, deciding on the library at 6pm tonight for the first meeting, most partners would drag their heels about starting right away but he shared the view that it was best to be prepared than rush on the night before the deadline as I assume Al and Zabini would.

"You're going to meet Scorpius Malfoy?" James shouted from his seat on the Gryffindor sofa, his legs stretched out over Dom and Isabella.

"We're working together on an essay" I answered. Deep breaths Rose, deep breaths. Only 5 more years until a relatively James free life.

"Why aren't you working with Al?" What as he? The Spanish inquisition?

"James" I smiled at my cousin trying my absolute hardest not to throw the nearest heavy object at his face "We didn't get to pick our partners. I've told you this before. I'm leaving now. Hopefully won't see you when I get back. Bye Dom, bye Isabella."

Thoughts of my 7th year where James will have graduated leaving Al and I with just our younger cousins for company filled my mind on the walk to the library, it was a happy place where I could do as I pleased without James' constant nagging and quips about my life choices.

"Hey Rose" Scorpius waved from a table in the corner, this would probably be the last session we needed to write the essay. The deadline was next week but we'd worked well together and were well on our way to finishing it. In a weird way I think I'd miss studying with Scorpius, he was easy company. "Are you okay? You seem a bit..."

"James" Was all I needed to say. In between writing the essay we'd spoken a bit about our lives – well I'd spoken and Scorpius listened. Needless to say I'd just ranted and raved about the numerous ways in which James Potter had ruined my life that day.

"What's he done today?" Scorpius put down his quill and turned to me, I could feel a slight blush as his eyes traced my face.

"Existing" That's all James needed to do to irritate me "One of these days I'm actually going to kill him. Or if I don't kill him someone else will. Probably Dom."

"You don't want him dead Rose" Scorpius laughed, blissfully unaware of the murderous thoughts I was almost sure that Dom had.

"I pushed him in a lake once and wanted him to drown" I giggled at the memory, he'd stolen my broomstick and threatened to put it in the lake...so I pushed him in and didn't go get help. Unfortunately Aunt Ginny was coming to collect us for tea and managed to save him. Shame, really.

"You didn't want him to drown" Scorpius was trying to hold back a laugh

"Oh, I did." I suppose he was right, maybe not dead. How about a coma? "Well, at least out of action for a while."

I swore I heard Scorpius mutter something that sounded a lot like "barking mad" before we delegated roles to finish the essay. Yes, I would definitely miss this time in the library with Scorpius, it was nice to spend time with someone who wasn't obligated to by blood. I mean, I know we _have _to be together for the project but it was the really the only time I'd spent with anyone outside of my family since I'd joined Hogwarts...and it was _nice_.

"I think we're done" I slammed my book shut and looked up at Scorpius who was twirling his quill around his fingers.

"I think we are" Did he sound...sad?

"We make a good team" I nudged him in the side, a smile creeping at the side of his mouth. "We've definitely aced it."

"Definitely" We both collected our belongings and made our way out of the library to the point where we turned opposite ways to our separate common rooms. "Goodbye Rose."

**A/N any thoughts? :-)**


	3. The Secret Valentine Third Year

It's official. Valentine's day sucks. It wasn't what love was about, not really, well not how I imagined it. Today was about how many cards people had gotten, who had asked them on a date, how many cheap and tacky presents you'd bought for someone you were more than likely going to dump by the next Valentine's day. If you really love your boyfriend or girlfriend then shouldn't you love them every day of the year...okay maybe I'm being slightly bitter because no-one has actually sent me a Valentine's Card...ever. But what did you expect? I'm surrounded by the most sought after people in the whole of Hogwarts...and then there's me. I'm not blind, I'm not exactly ugly but I'm not the most beautiful girl in the castle. I'm no Dominique, who is probably the most beautiful girl in the country, never mind the bloody castle. Then there's Al, James and Louis who receive more advances individually than the the rest of the student body combined. James and Al were easily the most eligible young bachelors of the Wizarding world – every girl and I mean _every_ girl wanted to date one of the Potter boys. Louis on the other hand warranted every bit of attention he'd gotten, I know he's my cousin and everything but even I can admit that the boy is bloody gorgeous. Unlike Al and James he had enough self-respect not to take advantage of any half-decent girl who flung themselves at him, though he was only a second year so I doubted his resolve would last much longer. James had cracked within the first week according to Dom. Al was more reserved than his brother but I knew he had his fair share of girls.

"Look what Nathan got me, isn't it sweet?" Ella gushed to Katie, Hannah, Alice and I about the teddy bear that her boyfriend Nathan Parker had given her. Since September I'd decided to make more of an effort with my roommates, it wasn't healthy for me to rely on Al as my only friend, especially when it became clear that he wanted other people to talk to. I'd noticed Al spend more and more time with the boys in his dorm and took the hint - jump before you're pushed and all that. Plus, there's some things you just can't talk about with your thirteen year old male cousin.

"He's such a good boyfriend" Hannah commented, Alice and Katie nodding in agreement. Personally, I thought a teddy bear was a bit cliché but who was I to judge. I'm the one without a boyfriend.

"He is, isn't he? What did you all get?" Ella asked, looking around at the circle of girls perched on her bed.

"I got a card, some sweets and an invitation to meet in the Great Hall later" Alice flushed pink as she looked down at the card signed anonymous. I suppose Valentine's day wasn't all bad, that was pretty sweet, in a really corny and kind of makes me want to vomit way. "I don't know who it's from though"

"Maybe it's Tom?" I asked, knowing full well that it was because I saw him writing the card in the common room late last night.

"I hope so. Thomas George is _so_ hot." Alice was going to be in a good mood later then.

"What about you Rose?" Hannah asked after showing off her mini-mountain of cards. Hannah was almost as beautiful as Dom, I imagine if she'd had the same Veela genes she wouldn't be able to attend a mixed sex school.

"Nothing...as usual." What did I care anyway? No-one in this stupid school was worth going out with anyway.

"Yes you did Rose" Ella walked across the dorm to my bed, reaching to the floor picking up a small pink envelope. Either my eyes are deceiving me or I actually got a Valentine's card. "It must have fallen to the floor, I saw it this morning"

"Oh" was all I could say as she tossed it to me, smiling wide.

"Well open it then!" they all cried at once, eagerly awaiting to see who had sent Rose Weasley an actual Valentine's card.

_Rose,_

_Happy Valentine Day_

_Love …._

_x_

"It doesn't say." I don't know what I had expected really? Wasn't the secrecy the whole point of Valentine's day cards?

"We'll find out" Hannah jumped off the bed, grabbing my card and running out of the girl's dorms straight into the common room. "Oi! You lot! Which one of you sent Rose a Valentine's?"

I want to die. I actually want to die. This is the single most embarrassing moment of my life. Hannah has outdone James Potter on ruining my life – I always thought it would be James that would lead to my untimely demise but I was mistaken. I would have to kill James before I kill Hannah and then myself for not finishing me off before this. Maybe I would kill Al too for running of with his stupid new friends leaving me to make other friends which ultimately led to this one horrible moment in my life.

"Hannah Thomas I am going to kill you" I whispered in her ear, my cheeks flushing a shade of red I don't think has even been invented.

"Rose" an unfamailiar voice appeared along with a tapping on my shoulder, as the face of Antony McLaggen came into view. Merlin, he was a lot better looking up close. "Can I talk to you?"

"Sure" Antony grabbed my hand leading me to the far corner of the common room, past James who looked like he would have ripped Antony's head off if he hadn't been entertaining two blonde Sixth years. I didn't know much about Antony apart from he was considered James' biggest rival in their year and due to that James hated him more than he hated losing. Which, by the way is quite a lot.

"I was wondering if you wanted to go with me to Hogsmeade later, I know it's last minute but I wanted to surprised you, y'know on Valentine day" Was Antony McLaggen, arguably the best looking boy in Gryffindor who I wasn't related to asking me...on a date?

"Sure" Had I lost all functions of speech? Was a boy really having this effect on me? I'm spending too much time around girls. Stupid Al.

"I'll meet you in about an hour? Great hall." He grinned at me and walked off. I could have sworn I saw him wink at James on his way past, maybe not the best way to win over my family but I couldn't be picky. Antony was really the first boy to ever show me any interest, like I said it wasn't that I was particularly ugly, I was just always overshadowed by my stunning older female cousins or flanked by my male cousins, which I guess would put most blokes off. Nor had I ever shown any particular interest in anybody either, I wasn't one of those girls growing up who always craved a boyfriend. Dom was one of those girls who always had a boy on the go, as would Victoire and Roxy. I was the family anomolie. Maybe it was wrong to go out with Antony. It wasn't like I fancied him, sure he was good looking and as far as I know a nice enough boy but it wasn't like I'd spent months lusting after him like most girls probably had. But if I was going to give anyone a chance it may as well be on Valentine's day and I did make a promise to a certain hat on my first ever day – to be a bit more reckless.

"You look lovely" Antony was leaning against a wall of the busy Great Hall. I usually avoided the Valentine's Hogsmeade trip – it made me more bitter than usual.

"I look the same as this morning" It was true – I hadn't bothered to change out of my jeans and hooded top.

"You looked lovely then too" He wrapped his arm around my waist, leading me to the exit. Was I comfortable with this? I wasn't too sure. This was only our second ever conversation...I'm being a prude, aren't I? Maybe this is what happens when you go on a date, I wouldn't know this is my first. Antony is a year older than me and definitely more experienced, he knows a lot more than me so I let him keep his arm around my waist his hand resting on my hip.

"Thanks for the card by the way" The conversation left a lot to be desired as we made our way around Hogsmeade, he was polite and sweet but we just didn't have much in common.

"The what?" Antony stuttered "Ah right, yeah the card, no worries"

"It was very nice of you" I answered smiling up at him, his chocolate brown eyes smiling back.

"Only the best for you Rose" Antony stopped walking, pulling my hands into his and pulling me forward, his upper body moving slowly downwards as he tilted my chin up. Oh Merlin, he was going to kiss me, wasn't he? He was. So, I did the only sensible thing I could think of. I ran away.


	4. Al's Secret Fourth Year

**Disclaimer: Sadly, I do not own Harry Potter.**

5 weeks. 5 weeks since I had last spoken to Al. 5 weeks since I'd accused him of abandoning me. 5 weeks since I'd told him that I was better off without him. 5 weeks was a very long time.

"I am not apologising" Lily's eyes were pleading with me, we'd had the same conversation everyday for the past month about her brother. You'd think she'd get the idea, wouldn't you?

"Rosie, you are so stubborn" True. But, I wasn't the one who had forgotten plans with my supposed best friend...twice in the same week. "He thinks you're overreacting"

"Lily!" I shouted before realising I was attracting unwanted attention in the noisy common room "How am I overreacting? It's his fault"

"I know" Lily ran her hand through her hair, pinching the bridge of her nose. Since Al's abandonment, I'd become much closer to my younger cousin; whenever I wanted to escape the constant gossiping of my roommates, Lily was the best company. It also helped she found Al and James even more annoying than I did. "You know what he's like, he says he had good reason to cancel."

"Well I'd like to hear that reason" I huffed.

"How can you bloody hear it if you won't even talk to him? That's it! " Lily stood up, grabbing me by the arm and dragging me out of the common room, ignoring my many protests to let go before I hexed her into the next century. "I've had enough of this Rose Weasley, you are sorting this out and you are sorting it out now."

"Tell me where we are going right now" I struggled to get out of her grasp and failed miserably, she had a tighter grip than any normal 12 year old girl "I do not want to see Albus"

"Tough" Ever since Al and I had stopped talking he spent more and more time away from our common room. I never actually knew where he went and to be frank I didn't care enough to try and find him. Wherever it was, was obviously more important to him than his best friend.

"Why are we here? Lily, I haven't got time to mess about" We'd stopped dead at the entrance to the Slytherin common room, taking a seat on the bench in the murky dungeons. It was official – Lily Potter had lost her marbles.

"Someone will come by soon" Lily smiled sweetly, yep she had lost it "Then we'll ask them to go get Al."

"He's-he's in there?" Ditched to spend time in the Slytherin common room. Oh, I was definitely not apologising.

"Yep" was all Lily said before she jumped off the bench and approached (read: assaulted until he did what she said) some small Slytherin Third year boy into getting Al to come outside. It took at least 5 minutes before my least favourite person in the world emerged from the portal, whining about how "this better be good Lily".

"Albus" I stayed put on the bench as Lily dragged her brother and threw him on the seat next to me. Damn, she was strong. Stupid Potter Quidditch genes.

"Rose" Al muttered, barely audible.

"If you two don't sort this out, I am writing to _both_ your mothers and we all know how that will end" Not very well.

It was awkward.

So very awkward.

"She's scary isn't she?" I broke the silence -someone had to- this wasn't the same as apologising.

"I pity the man that marries her" Al chuckled to himself, obviously picturing the same scenario I was. Lily Potter having the most whipped husband in history.

"I'm not apologising" I said bluntly, meeting his eyes for the first time.

"I think I'd figured that out by now" Al answered "This is the longest we've ever gone without speaking in our whole lives. Mad isn't it?"

"Look Al" He wasn't going to guilt trip me into admitting that I was any way in the wrong. Because I wasn't. "You're the one who should be apologising to me. You ditched me. I thought we were best friends, but I was obviously gravely mistaken. Twice Al, you just left me waiting for you like a massive plonker. Not to mention you spending less and less time with me for the past year, I'm not stupid Albus I've noticed you distancing yourself from me. I just thought you of all people would have the decency to tell me that you didn't want to spend time with me rather than just leaving me with no explanation. Obviously our friendship meant more to me than it did to you"

There it was – my inner Hermione Granger. Once I got started, I found it very difficult to stop.

"Rose I-" Al tried to interrupt me, I thought he knew me better than to think he'd manage that.

"Shush" I swiped at him "I'm not finished. I don't know what it is that is obviously so much more important to you than I am but I hope whoever she is is worth it Albus. Not only have you lost your best friend but now I am going to make sure that you have to spend your summers with James because I will no longer be spending any time with you that is not forced upon me."

"Are you done?" Al asked...was he? He was laughing at me.

"Why. Are. You. Laughing. At. Me." It's official. I like James more than I like Al.

"I haven't got a new girlfriend Rosie" Oh, well that's even worse. I would have maybe been more forgiving if he'd abandoned me in the name of love. "You're overreacting."

"I am _not_ overreacting" I spat at him.

"I just lost track of time" Al was as calm as ever, which made me look even more of a maniac than I actually was "It was nothing personal Rosie. I've missed spending time with you and contrary to what you believe, you _are_ my best friend. As for the distancing, I felt guilty, you didn't have any other friends apart from me. I thought the only way you'd make friends is if I gave you time to."

"So you don't hate spending time with me?" Stupid Al, if I wanted to make friends I would have done whether he was there or not. Well, maybe.

"Why would I hate spending time with my best friend?" This still doesn't explain how he 'lost track of time' or why he's been avoiding the Gryffindor common room like the plague. Al is not getting away that easily. I'm Rose Weasley after all, the most stubborn girl you will ever meet – I have a reputation to uphold.

"You still haven't said what you're doing here" I nodded to the Slytherin entrance "I've barely seen you"

"Do you promise not to laugh?" Al asked sheepishly.

"Yes" I lied.

"I'm getting tutored" He was obviously embarrassed, but why on earth would Al need extra help? I wasn't aware that he was struggling, if he'd have asked me I would have happily offered to help him. "I'm not going to be an Auror with average grades Rosie. Not all of us are as naturally clever as you."

"Al, I had no idea. I would have helped you." Al shook his head at this.

"I didn't want you too. You'd have been too easy on me. Professor McGonagall asked the second best student in our year" I so would not have gone easy on Al. I would have become a tutor nazi. "Scorpius has been great"

"Scorpius Malfoy?" I hadn't spoken much to Scorpius since our Muggle Studies project in Second year. We didn't share many classes nor did we have the same friends. I always looked back fondly on mine and Scorpius' study sessions and could understand why he would be a great tutor for Al.

"How many other Scorpius do you know? 'Course it's Malfoy you dipstick" So Al had ditched me for tutoring sessions with Scorpius Malfoy. Funnily enough, that was something I could understand.

"None" I answered honestly "You should have told me Albus, I wouldn't have laughed, in fact I think it's...nice"

"Nice?" Al asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Yes, nice. Scorpius is nice, he is doing a nice thing for you and it's nice that you want to improve your grades." I linked my arm with my favourite cousin, pulling him up. "Now we better go find your crazy sister and tell her we're being...nice again"

**A/N: still no reviews? sad :-( i wanna hear what you think!**  
**so, the plan at the moment is the next chapter will be the last "recap" chapter of significant points leading up to Rose's Sixth Yea**r


	5. Barking Mad Fifth Year

**Disclaimer: Don't own Harry Potter. Never have. Never will. **

Fifth year was probably the most uneventful year of my whole existence. I went to a a school full of teenage wizards and witches...who would have thought it would be so _boring?_ Well, not entirely boring. James' love life had provided me with some entertainment, watching him attempt to juggle two twins without the other finding out was enough to keep me amused for a month or so until they found out and they hexed him so bad he had to spend the week in the hospital wing. Which again, was quite entertaining for me. Fifth year seemed to be the year where the novelty of being at Hogwarts wears off, you have to actually do some work for exams and you're not young enough to be involved with the lower years but not old enough to be invited to Sixth and Seventh year parties. Kind of an in between.

It was now August before our Sixth year started and that meant one thing – Al's birthday. If there was one thing Al and James could do, it was throw a damn good party and seeing as it would be his 16th birthday Uncle Harry and Aunt Ginny were allowing more guests than usual. As well as the usual family, and family friends, Al had invited some of his friends from Hogwarts, who I'm sure accepted the invitation into the famous Harry Potter's house quicker than anything.

"Rosieeeee" I'd arrived to the Potter's early with the promise of getting ready with Lily "I can't decide what to wear"

"I thought you were wearing the black dress" Aunty Ginny had taken Lily and I shopping last month and bought us new dresses for this very party. Lily had chosen a simple black dress that fell just above her knees and flattered her slim figure. Stupid perfect Potter genes.

"Isn't black a bit depressing? It's so sunny Rose, it's more of a winter dress" I didn't think that the colour of a dress indicated whether it was a summer or winter dress.

"Then why did you buy it?" I asked, surely she knew the colour when she picked it out.

"Because I want to wear it at Christmas" Lily smiled wickedly "It won't be in the shops then and I knew Mum wouldn't buy me two"

"Tell me again why you aren't in Slytherin?" I made my way to her wardrobe, it was _full _of dresses. Maybe this is what a normal girl's wardrobe looked like. Huh. I pulled out a strapless, pleated red dress that she'd worn to Dominique's last birthday and remembered how well it had suited her. "Wear this"

"Hmm, yeah. It did look nice, didn't it?" Lily grabbed the dress and went to her bathroom, talking to me through the door. "You asked anyone to the party?"

"Nope" I had considered inviting the girls in my dorm but decided against it when I remembered how in love they were with both Al and James. Quite sickening really. "Have you?"

"Well kind of, I mean he was already invited but I asked first" Lily mumbled, this was the first I was hearing of any kind of boy. Great. My baby cousin had brought a boyfriend home before I did.

"Lysander is a very nice boy and he-"

"Lysander? As in Lysander Scamander?" I thought of the sandy haired twin, he was definitely the more normal of two taking after his father where Lorcan took after his mother.

"How many Lysanders do you know Rosie? Of course it's Lysan Scamander" Where had I heard that before? "We're not like _together_ together, but I like him and I think he likes me"

My thirteen year old cousin had a better love life than I did. I was never going to hear the end of this from James. Talking of the re-incarnate of the devil.

"Does James know?" I was sure he didn't because if he did I was sure that he would be locked away in Azkaban by now.

"No and you can't tell him Rosie, you know what he's like" I knew exactly what James was like, I could remember all too well how badly he had reacted when I told him that Antony McLaggen had tried to kiss me - I don't think Antony's nose has been the same since. James was much more protective over Lily, I was almost certain that it would end in James' arrest if he found out about his little sister and Lysander.

"I won't, don't worry your pretty little head baby cousin" I would never inflict James Potter unnecessarily on anybody.

"I mean I don't want us to end before it's even really begun" When did Lily grow up? When I was her age I was running away from people who tried to kiss me. "Are you dating anyone Rosie?"

"What do you think?" I had been on one date my whole life, which ended with me fleeing Hogsmeade and locking myself in my dorm for the whole weekend. "I'm not exactly a catch Lily"

"Are you kidding me Rose?" Lily grabbed my arm dragging me to the full length mirror on the back of her door. I'd changed into my floral print dress and wedges, deciding that heels were really not suitable for a garden party. My auburn hair fell in soft, charmed curls – the handy work of Aunt Ginny who'd promised to teach me how to do it myself at school. I had to admit, I didn't look hideous but I wasn't a patch on the likes of Dom who were so effortlessly flawless. "You're stunning, you're at the top of your class _and_ you're a nice person. If that isn't a catch then I don't know what is."

"Leggy blondes who open their legs?" I answered, thinking partly about some of the girls in my year at Hogwarts and partly about Dom.

"Your body is amazing Rose, I wish I had your stomach and legs. You don't give yourself enough credit" Lily should take up a career in motivational speeches, maybe I should suggest that to Aunt Ginny "And the leggy blondes who open their legs are not the type of girls that boys fall in love with Rose, they're the ones that they regret even looking at"

Al's party was in full swing, with masses of family and friends filling the large Potter garden. When you happen to be the most famous wizarding family in the world you tend to know a lot of people who expect to be invited to events just like this. I spotted Dom chatting up the captain of Puddlemere United; poor bloke didn't have a chance with her dressed like that, she was wearing the shortest of shorts and a blouse that barely covered her mid drift. I scanned the crowd looking for the messy raven hair of my favourite cousin, I'd not seen him today and wanted to wish him a happy birthday. We'd arranged to exchange gifts tomorrow but felt it was only polite to wish him a happy birthday on the actual day.

"James" I poked him in the back harder than I needed to "Have you seen Al anywhere?"

"He was with his mates by the drinks last time I looked and if I didn't know any better I was sure they were sneaking Firewhiskey into their cups. But you know me Rosie, not one to dob anyone in" James winked and opened his jacket to reveal his own hip flask "Want some?"

"No thanks" I said leaving James to get wasted with Fred. The temptation to tell Aunt Ginny about her son's actions was almost too much.

I found Al sat round one of the many tables that had been transported into the garden for tonight, I recognised his company to be his Gryffindor roommates - Nathan Parker, Tom George and Stephen Johnson.

"Alright Rosie!" James was right – Al was definitely a bit merry. I took an empty seat next to Al wondering how much he'd had to drink and whether or not I wanted to know.

"Happy Birthday!" I'd decided it was best not to ask so instead I flung my arms around my best friend almost knocking him off his chair.

"Thanks" Al grinned "You been with Lily all day?"

"Yeah" I thought back to his littler sister's revelation about a certain Scamander twin, I don't think Al would react much better than James and decided to keep quiet "Can I swap her for Hugo?"

"Deal" He winked, Hugo and Al got on as well as Lily and I did. It's really a shame that our parents keep resisting our ideas for a straight swap.

"Hey Nathan, Stephen, Tom" I smiled at the three Gryffindors, in the past year I'd made more of an effort to be nice to Al's new friends but really I didn't have a clue about any of them. "Having a good time?"

"It's a great party" Nathan swept his fringe out of his eyes as I resisted the urge to tell him he needed a hair cut. Ever since he had broken up with Ella he'd decided to have this ridiculous new hair that he seemed to think looked good. "Lots of good looking birds, y'know?"

"No. I don't know" Why did Al insist on having other friends? Did he enjoy company that called girls types of poultry? I let Nathan mumble on to me but I wasn't really listening, I'd spotted Lily on the other side of the garden talking to Lysander. It was really quite sweet, she was blushing – not once in my whole life had I seen Lily Potter blush. Lysander lent down and whispered something in Lily's ear, the blush on her cheeks intensifying. Get in Lily! So I was officially on board team Lily and Lysander as I watched their sweet exchange, the rest of the party blissfully unaware of what was happening between the two.

"Earth to Rose! Rose! Rosie!" I snapped back into reality as Al waved his hand infront of my face "What are you staring at?"

"Nothing" I said averting my eyes away from Lily and Lysander not wanting Al to interrupt them like I knew he probably would.

"Hello Rose" a vaguely familiar voice said from beside me as I met the grey eyes of Scorpius Malfoy. Why didn't Al tell me he'd invited Scorpius? Well I suppose he had no reason to but he knew that out of all his friends Scorpius was the only one I approved of. Despite the fact we hadn't spoken more than two words to each other since second year, but all the same I liked the boy.

"Hey Scorpius" I said, turning away from a giddy Al "How long have you been here?"

"Just arrived" Scorpius' voice had deepened and his face had lost some of his puppy fat to reveal a better bone structure than most supermodels. He would really make a rather pretty girl. "Are they drunk?" Scorpius pointed to Al and the rest of his friends who were in fits of giggles over nothing in particular.

"I think so" I shook my head at my cousin, just _wait_ until his mother saw him "James said he saw them with some Firewhiskey so I don't think they're sober"

Scorpius and I continued talking whilst Al and the rest of them continued to take shots when they thought that nobody was looking. As we spoke I remembered why Scorpius and I had got along so well, we really did have a lot in common and he was pleasant company. I really didn't know why my Dad had been so adamant that I stay away from him – looking between Scorpius and Al, I knew who I would prefer my only daughter to keep company with; and it wasn't the drunken idiot.

"Your family are barking mad Rose" Al had proceeded to take off his shirt and begun to dance on the table. If you can even call what he was doing dancing. I'd personally call it flailing about looking like a muppet

"You've said that about me once" I said without thinking. Would he consider it weird that I remembered that? Merlin, he's witnessing my cousin doing a partial-strip tease, the situation was beyond saving.

"It's not a bad thing" Really? Because I would consider whatever Al was doing exactly that "The best people are mad, has anyone ever told you that?"

Have I ever mentioned that Al had excellent taste in friends/tutors? Because I could really get used to this Scorpius being around.

**A/N – lack of reviews is making me :( so what does everyone think? Do you like the characters? I really don't want to rush their relationship, that's just not how I imagine it. Thoughts?**


	6. The Beginning

**Disclaimer: I own nada!**

"You can't take bets on my love life James" Dom scolded, dismissing James' proposed bet that Dom will have at least 10 boyfriends this year. Personally, I'd wager much higher than that; she goes through at least 3 a month. I didn't know how she did it, I mean I know _how_ she got them, the girl was absolutely gorgeous but I didn't know how she lived with the arrangement. Every time Dom entered into another one of these 'relationships', it was purely physical, absolutely no emotion involved whatsoever. It seemed like a lonely life to me. That was the difference between Dom and I; whilst she could have enough one-night stands to make her way through the whole of Hogwarts and beyond, I couldn't commit myself physically if there were no feelings. I'm a teenage girl, of course I have feelings of 'ooh he's pretty fit' but I wanted deep down feelings. The sort of feelings that lasted forever. Maybe that's why I ran away from Antony McLaggen that time – I just didn't have any sort of emotional investment in him. And that is why I'm still the most inexperienced sixth year Hogwarts has ever seen.

"Oh but Dominique, I can" James teased, I'd already seen him exchange money with both Fred and Louis, so he clearly could.

"I'm going to prove you wrong. As a matter of fact, I bet you I can get a boyfriend _and_ make it last" Poor bloke had just become a play toy in the never ending battle between my two cousins.

"Oh yeah, we'll see how long that lasts" Fred chipped in from across the compartment, laughing with James "I give it a week"

"I give it 3 days" James winked at Dom.

"You'll see James Sirius Potter" Ouch. The full name.

"You can't hold a boy down to save your life" the small voice of Lily spoke up, all eyes turning to her "What? It's true"

"Little sis, I have never been so proud" Lily smiled wickedly at James, the two siblings have never lookedmore alike and frankly it was terrifying. Merlin knows the world does not need a female James Potter. It doesn't even need the one.

"And what would you know about relationships?" Lily had still only confided in me about her relationship with Lysander, deciding it was best to break the news to the rest of the family when the time was right and preferably when James had left Hogwarts and couldn't kill Lysander in his sleep.

"Enough" Lily's eyes flashed to me and back to Dom "I know you don't even know what a proper relationship is"

"Okay" I said, standing up before Lily said something she would probably regret and I did not want to be there to witness that "I'm gonna go find Al, play nice?"

Al had decided that this year he would sit with his friends instead of us on the train. I had to respect his decision but I was slightly bitter that he'd left me alone to deal with them nutjobs.

"Knock knock" I said peering around the compartment I found Al in "Room for one more?"

"Of course" Al was sat in between Nathan and Thomas and across from Scorpius and Stephen "That bad?"

"You bet" I said plonking myself in the space between Scorpius and Stephen "Dom and James were arguing because James was taking bets on how many boyfriends she would have this year, and then Lily started and I think Dom was about ready to Avada the lot of them so I left before the murder started"

"Your family are mad Rose" Scorpius said, shaking his head, as I remembered him saying a similar thing the night of Al's party. We'd spent the night together – not in _that_ way. We mainly looked after Al and made sure he didn't do anything too stupid.

"Tell me about it" Al agreed "You know sometimes, I think Dom is serious when she says she's gonna kill him"

"I'm sure she is" I'd always thought she was a slight psycopath and was easily capable of murder. Crazy part-Veela.

"She's _banging_ though mate" Nathan looked at Al who's face had grimaced.

"Dude, she's my cousin" Al elbowed him in the ribs. I knew it irritated Al when people spoke about any of his cousins in that sort of way, which happened often considering he was related to Dom and Victoire.

"Doesn't stop her being hot" he winked at Al and flashed a smile at the rest of the boys.

"Can we change the subject please?" Al was getting agitated now, knowing where the conversation was leading. To where most of the conversations between the teenage boys of Hogwarts led...a discussion about how best to get into Dominique Weasley's bed.

"How was your summer Rose?" Stephen spoke, startling me. I don't think we'd ever spoken more than three words to each other for the past six years.

"Fine...thanks" I glanced at Al who was looking just as confused as I felt "How was yours?"

"Been better" Stephen shrugged.

"Lydia still won't go out with you?" Tom asked. Lydia Cartwright was in our year and it was public knowledge that he was obsessed with the pretty Ravenclaw.

"Like you wouldn't believe" Stephen looked at me now "Don't have a solution do you, Rose?"

"You could always tell her how much you like her" Why did he care what I thought? I barely knew either of them.

"Tried that" He answered simply "A lot"

"Then show her" Why are boys so stupid? I'm glad I wasn't born a boy.

"How?" Seriously. Did I have to do everything round here? Maybe I should have stayed put.

"Get a new girlfriend. Show her that you won't wait forever, it might make her make a move if she sees you with someone else and get jealous" Nathan answered for me now, his words almost sounding rehearsed.

"Easier said than done" Stephen shook his head "Not many girls would volunteer to be a fake girlfriend. Right, Rose?"

"I don't know" Why did he keep asking me things? Unless...oh "Spit it out Stephen"

"Rose would you be my fake girlfriend to make Lydia jealous?" He mumbled, looking expectantly at me. I could feel Al's daggers hitting Stephen straight in the forehead – he was obviously not a part of this plan.

"No" Al answered for me. Why did people keep doing that?

"I can speak for myself Albus" Was I really considering this? I mean, we could have ground rules. Maybe it would do my reputation within the castle good because I'm sure people are suspecting that I'm either a nun, or a lesbian or both "Let me think about it"

The next hour or so of the journey passed relatively uneventfully as I mulled over Stephen's offer. What could go wrong? Stephen could possibly make Lydia realise what a stud he was (yeah, right) and people would finally get off my back about not having a boyfriend. My heart was screaming no. Don't do it Rose, it's not _right_. It was against everything I'd ever believed. Would it make me just as bad as Dom and her love-less relationships?

"Don't do it" Scorpius whispered interrupting my trail of thought, the other boys deep in conversation about Quidditch not noticing the exchange right under their noses.

"Don't do what?" I asked, turning to meet his gaze. He looked...concerned?

"Be his girlfriend" Definitely concerned.

"Why?" I asked curious about why he cared so much.

"You're not _that_ girl" He answered calmly, answering any doubt I had in my mind about Stephen's offer.

**  
"Rose Weasley you are a genius" Stephen muttered into my ear as he took a seat on the sofa of the busy joint common room before wrapping his arm around Dom's shoulder, planting small kisses on her neck. The most love-less relationship Hogwarts had ever seen.

**A/N what does everyone think?**


	7. Just One Class

**Disclaimer: Still own nothing...**

Dom and Stephen's relationship was a match made in heaven. Once the train had pulled up at Hogwarts I collared Dom and told her that I could provide her with an arrangement that meant she could prove to James that she could keep a boyfriend without having any commitments. Whilst she was hesitant at first to agree, in her own words "he's alright looking Rosie, but he's only a 7 at best" - yep, she was one of those girls who rated boys out of ten. Maybe Dom should have been born a boy. Nobody outside of those of us in the compartment, Dom and Isabella knew about the arrangement. It didn't take much persuasion on Stephen's side, he practically jumped on me when I told him that I'd set him up with Dom, again in his words "bloody hell Rose, she's the fittest girl in the school". James was, to say the least, shocked when they began snogging in front of everyone that night and I'll admit it gave me a lot of satisfaction to know that I was part of something that James didn't know about. I'd grown up subject to the torment of James Potter's scheming.

"What's your timetable like Rosie?" Al took a seat next to me at breakfast, trailed by Scorpius who took occupancy next to Al becoming the sole Slytherin amongst the Gryffindors. It was the first morning of term and Professor McGonagall was dishing out timetables. As it was our sixth year our subjects were more flexible and allowed for more free time which we were 'strongly encouraged to use wisely to further our studies' – but I'd seen how last year James' free periods were spent feeling up girls in broom cupboards whilst Dom's was spent prolonging her beauty routine and I'm pretty sure Fred just napped.

"It's good" I scanned over the days finding I had Muggle Studies, Potions and Charms today "I've got Wednesday morning and Thursday and Friday afternoons off"

"Me too" Scorpius spoke looking at his own timetable.

"Lucky sods" I peeked over Al's shoulder reading his. Al had taken more subjects than necessary to make his auror application as strong as possible, leaving very little free time. "At least I don't have to do Muggle Studies though"

"Hey, there's nothing wrong with it" I elbowed him, knowing that he knew full well it was my favourite subject.

"I agree with Rose" Scorpius winked at his friend before looking at me "In fact, I've got it first"

"Me too" I said echoing his own words. I'd almost forgotten that this year would be different in terms of the students in class, they would be much more diverse with a mixture of all 4 houses in all subjects "You nearly ready to go Scorpius?"

"Yep" Scorpius jumped off his seat and was around Al before I'd had chance to catch my breath. Huh, I guess he was eager to start classes. Maybe he was like me, though I would never admit it to anyone, I missed school during the summer holidays. I liked to learn new things, to learn about the world, to read "You excited for classes Rose?"

"Yeah" I answered honestly as we begun the walk to Muggle Studies. Was the boy a mind reader? Freaky. "Not so excited about the amount of work. I hear the teachers get brutal."

"I'm sure you'll be fine. You're top of our year" And Scorpius was second. I wonder if Hogwarts has ever had both their top students _not_ in Ravenclaw?

"I hear you're a good tutor if I ever need any help" Scorpius had managed to boost Al's grades dramatically, he came out with top OWL results that even my Mum would have been proud of. It meant that Al was on track to becoming an auror if he kept up his grades and had decent recommendations – which was a given considering who his parents were.

"I doubt you'll need my help" Scorpius flashed a smile as he opened the door to the classroom gesturing for me to go in "You are more than capable Rose"

"We'll see" I smiled, stepping into the already busy room. Should I sit with Scorpius? Would that be too forward? Oh, but Hannah is sat on a desk alone at the back of the classroom. Was she expecting me to sit with her? I didn't know what to do. This was just typical me, turning the tiniest decision into the most difficult thing in the world. It was only a seat in one class, right?

One class turned into every class and soon enough Scorpius and I slotted into an easy routine of spending time in class together whilst Al sat with his Gryffindor friends. Aside from a raised eyebrows when I took the empty seat next to Scorpius in Potions instead of next to him, Al didn't mention anything. I mean, it made sense for us to sit together, we were of similar ability and it had been proved from our project back in Second year that we worked well as a pair. There was no reason for us not to sit together and in all honesty it was a relief not to have to listen to Al moaning for hours at a time about how bored he was or how he didn't understand what was going on.

"Can you believe them two?" James nodded to Stephen who currently had Dom pushed up against a wall of the joint common room, his tongue rammed down her throat and his hands tangled in her silver blonde hair. Isabella smiled knowingly at me, she too was probably enjoying having one up over James. Ever since they'd met on the Hogwarts Express in their first year, James had made it his own personal mission to annoy Isabella as much as he annoyed his family. Though, I suspected it was for a very different reason as to why he tormented the rest of us.

"Says you" Isabella nudged him, raising her eyebrows.

"What?" He asked, pleading innocence.

"Come off it James" Isabella said, her voice raising slightly "We've been back what? Two weeks? How many girls have you got off with?"

"That's for me to know and you to be jealous of" James really did irritate me. How did Dom, Fred and Isabella cope with him during class as well? I think I'd ask to be held back a year if it meant I didn't have to hear his drivel all day, every day.

"You wish Potter" Yes, he probably did.

"In your dreams Falcone" James sat up swinging his feet onto the table in front of him. What would his mother say? Actually, I knew exactly what his mother would say and it's not something I wish to repeat "I _know_ you're jealous because all those girls get to kiss me and you don't"

"I'm sorry, I think I just vomited in my mouth" I knew I liked Isabella for a reason – the only girl in the world who didn't worship at James Potter's feet.

"One day Falcone, one day" James grinned as the petite half-Italian girl stuck her fingers down her throat and pretended to gag "In fact, I've got a...date now. Bye Rosie, I'll see you later Bella"

In James' vocabulary a 'date' actually meant a hook-up in some secluded corner of the castle with some random girl he'd picked up.

"Why does James look so happy?" Al came into view and then Scorpius as they sat down, both glancing at Dom and Stephen before bursting out in fits of laughter. Dom and Stephen had been more...public, about their 'relationship' than any of us had imagined. If Stephen wasn't still insistent that he was in fact doing it to make Lydia jealous (who, I'm not even sure was in the room right now) then I'd say he'd forgotten completely about the intentions of his scheme. Stephen paraded Dom around the castle and spent most of his time locking lips with her and I don't think Dom was hating the arrangement too much either.

"He's got a _date_" I said knowing that they both knew what that meant "and he was having fun teasing Isabella, wasn't he?"

"Just business as usual" Isabella smiled feebly, shrugging her shoulders "You know how he is"

"It's because he luuuuurves you" Al said, Isabella blushing ever so slightly. I didn't know if _love_ was the right word to use to describe anything to do with James but he definitely liked Isabella and it was painfully clear to anyone but the two of them.

"How many times Al" Isabella scolded him "I do not love James and James does not love me"

"Oh he totally does" Why were all my family members appearing out of thin air today? Lily perched on the arm of my chair beaming at Isabella "I know my brother. Rose, can I talk to you?"

"We're talking now?" I asked before looking at her and when I did I realised she meant in private and not wanting to make Lily any angrier than normal I thought best to just do as she wanted "See you later guys"

I followed Lily up to her empty dorm room in silence, knowing that whatever she had to say she didn't want to be overheard.

"_Muffliato"_ Lily cast the silencing charm around her bed before launching herself in the middle "I've got a problem"

"What kind of problem?" I asked. Wow, it must be big to trouble Lily. The girl was hard as nails.

"It's Lysander" Lily had still not gone public with her romance with the Scamander twin and as far as I knew I was the only one that knew "He says he's going to break up with me unless we tell everyone about us. He thinks I'm ashamed of him, which I'm not, I'm really not. I'm just..."

"Scared?" She nodded biting her lip and blinking twice.

"I think" She gulped "I think I might love him Rosie. I don't want to lose him."

"You're not going to lose him Lil" I wrapped my arm around my little cousin, squeezing her tight wishing I could wipe away all the trouble in her life.

"You don't know that Rosie" she mumbled into my shoulder, her body shaking as she quietly cried.

"I do" I answered simply knowing the only solution "We're going to go find James and Al"

**A/N: Thankyou for your reviews they make me happy and encourage me to update quickly! :-) any thoughts on this chapter? I know the Scorose is kind of slow...but I like to think that they happen gradually. **


	8. Big Brothers

**Disclaimer: unfortunately still not owning anything...**

I wasn't sure how this was going to end but really it was the only solution. We were going to face James and Al head on and tell them the truth. Secrets and lies don't last forever and if Lily was really this serious about a boy then they would have to accept it one day; I wasn't going to let James Potter of all people scare her into losing someone she clearly cared a lot about. Hell, he couldn't judge anybody's romantic choices. Whilst James would be angry and more than likely violent, Al was more difficult. It could go either way – of course he's protective but I hoped that he wouldn't resort to actual bodily harm and would listen to what his little sister had to say.

"Rose, this isn't a good idea" Lily hesitated at the entrance inside the relatively quiet joint common room – I'd checked that James had returned from his 'date' (read: snog session with unknown) before bringing Lily to find that James was with Al, Scorpius, Dom and Fred. I'd kind of hoped for a more private setting but beggars can't be choosers.

"Do you want to lose Lysander?" I'd noticed that Al and Scorpius had spotted us from across the room and were pointing. Brilliant, way to buy me time.

"Of course not Rose, but what if" Lily met my stare, tears brimming her own blue eyes threatening to spill over "what if they hurt him"

"If they hurt Lysander, I will hurt them" I pulled Lily into a hug that she desperately needed, ignoring the stares of my cousins and Scorpius "I will have no greater pleasure than killing James Potter"

Grabbing Lily's hand and squeezing it tight I gave her one last look of reassurance before pulling her over to where her brothers sat. Merlin, this was not going to end well.

"Lily have you been crying?" Dominique was the first to speak, shooting me a look that could only be described as 'tell me right now what is happening before I hex you into the next century'.

"I-i, I've got an announcement to make" I took a seat beside Scorpius – ready to jump to Lily's aid if she needed me.

"Are you pregnant?" Fred quipped waiting for the laughs that never arrived as horror washed over Al and James.

"She better bloody-" James and Al both said at the same time.

"Don't be so ridiculous" I interrupted "Go on, tell them Lily. It's okay"

"I" Lily took a deep breath, her eyes squeezing shut tight "'twantyoutokillhim"

"You have a _what ?"_ James demanded. No, James Potter. You will not ruin this.

"She has a boyfriend James" I was not having James flipping Potter upsetting her "Get over it. It was bound to happen at some point"

Al didn't say a word – he was either calculating some evil plot to kill his little sister's boyfriend or he was taking it very well.

"Who is he? Do I know him?" James ranted and raved, his hands flailing everywhere "He better not be taking advantage of you Lily because I swear..."

"It's Lysander" Lily answered interrupting her brother's wittering.

"Oh" was all James said – maybe he realised he couldn't maim or murder the son of one of his parent's oldest friends no matter how much he more than likely wanted to "You aren't old enough to have a boyfriend"

"I'm fourteen James, not four" Was that really his best argument? Her age? I expected better from him.

"James Potter I know _exactly_ what you were doing at fourteen" Dom glared at James defending our youngest cousin.

"That is my point" James shouted "I know _exactly_ what is going through a fourteen year old boy's mind and it is not something I want my little sister involved in"

"She is old enough to make her own decisions James" Have I ever mentioned how scary Dom is when she's angry? Because she is "It's not like we don't know him, the Scamander's are like extended family. Lysander is a much nicer fourteen year old boy than you ever were"

"That is not the point Dominique" James huffed "I don't want my little sister going off around the castle snogging some boy"

"What? Like you do?" Dom questioned the biggest hypocrite the world had ever seen.

"I do not snog boys" about the only thing he didn't snog, I'd caught him practising kissing his pillow the summer before he started Hogwarts.

"James stop being so, so, absolutely infuriating" Dom was well an truly in Aunt Fleur mode aka crazy French part-Veela "Lily you do whatever you like with whoever you like, don't listen to this blithering idiot. I like Lysander and I think you make a very lovely couple, I trust you'll be bringing him to James' Halloween party? As a _couple_. James if you don't like that then don't bother coming"

"But it's my bloody party!" he argued.

"I don't care" Dominique just shrugged her shoulders smiling at James – yep the look was back. The one that I was sure held murderous thoughts.

"Come on Al mate, back me up" Al remained silent through Dom and James' debate, his face unreadable.

"I'm happy for you Lily" Al smiled softly at his little sister, her face lighting up at his words as James' dropped "What?"

"Always full of surprises Albus" I told him grinning widely at my best friend. I knew he was my best friend for a reason. Stupid James.

"Al this is _Lily_" James shook his head, knowing that he was fighting a losing battle.

"I know" Al was calm and collected "We can't lock her in a tower James. She's going to meet boys, she's going to make mistakes and she's going to fall in love. There's absolutely bugger all we can do to stop that and she can do a hell of a lot worse than Lysander Scamander. I know that you know that. Remember Rosie and McLaggen? I was with you on that one but this is different"

"Can we at least read him the riot act?" I breathed a sigh of relief – the worst was over.

"Naturally" Al smirked at Lily who looked like all her Christmases had come at once "He isn't getting off that easy little sis"

**A/N – I know this is super super super short but I was going to put it with the next chapter but then I realised I wanted them separate. The next update should be reallllly soon...and it's Halloween at Hogwarts! :-) **


	9. Halloween at Hogwarts

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything...**

We were never told quite what was said between the Potter brothers and Lysander but he was still sticking around so whatever it was, didn't scare him too much. It was now Halloween and as promised Lily and Lysander would be making their first appearance as a couple to the rest of the school. Whilst it was technically James' party being hosted in the Room of Requirement, Dom took charge of most things and it was becoming a military operation. Every last detail was being taken care of by the crazy lady, no-one dared put a foot out of line and if they did, well, Merlin help them. I didn't much care for Halloween, I'd always considered it to be a bit...cliché? Y'know considering we were all teenage witches and wizards but it was an excuse to throw a party, dress up and act a bit silly.

Lily and I were in Dom's dorm getting ready for the party, she said it made sense for her to supervise our outfits to ensure their 'suitability' – in other words to make sure we didn't show her up. Dom had already gotten herself ready before we arrived, she'd decided to dress up as an angel...well, I say an angel, I wasn't sure she was planning on being so heavenly tonight the way she was dressed. In fact, I was pretty sure Stephen would die of heart failure when he took one look at her. The two of them had carried on their fake relationship happily and they were looking more and more like an actual couple. Dom was dressed to impress in short, tight, white shorts with a matching low cut tanktop, heels that made her legs look even longer than they already did and she'd charmed a golden halo and wings to float above and behind her. Paired with her silvery blonde hair that reached her waist and subtle make-up, she looked even more amazing than her usual flawless self. Stupid part-Veela with her weird perfect hybrid genes.

"Rosie" Dominique looked me up and down "We have a lot of work to do. You're first"

"Thanks Dom" I grumbled as I reluctantly took the seat in front of her mirror at her very full dressing table. What was the point? I wasn't going to look half as good as any of my relatives, I may as well just go back to bed and sleep away the night whilst the pretty people partied.

"I'm going to do your hair, then your make up and then you can go get changed. I have your outfit so no need to worry about that" I had no idea what she was making me dress as, for all I knew I was going as Voldemort "You should do this more often Rosie, it looks so nice"

I glanced up at the mirror that I'd been avoiding. Dom had curled my hair in such a way that loose curls framed my face, the rest looking sleek and smooth. It was much like a professional version of how Aunt Ginny had styled my hair in the summer for Al's birthday but Dom had obviously perfected her technique. Admittedly, it looked...nice.

"Can you show me how you do it?" I asked. Wow, was I asking Dom for _help ?_

"Sure, come over one night and we'll have a sleepover" Dom answered brightly "You're welcome to join Lily"

Dom continued on her pampering, cleansing my face before applying more make up than I'd ever had on in my whole life. I was sure I was going to end up looking like a clown once she'd finished with me. Maybe that was my costume.

"You know Rosie, he's not going to know what's hit him" Had the fumes from the make-up sent Dom barmy?

"Who?" I asked, eyeing Lily who just smiled.

"Scorpius silly" Dom answered casually. Yep. She'd gone barmy.

"I don't have a clue what you're talking about Do-" I took one look in the mirror and almost didn't recognise myself. Dom had made my cheekbones pronounced creating structure that definitely wasn't there this morning, a dark shadow filled my eyelids, super long lashes framed my eyes with glitter scattered softly around them. The girl was a miracle worker.

"Put your own lipgloss on" Dom handed my a light pink, shiny tube "You _so_ know what I'm talking about Rose. You'd make such a cute couple"

"Scorpius and I are friends" I answered honestly. I mean, okay, he was reasonably attractive -some would say very attractive- and he was a very nice boy but we were just friends.

"For now" Lily interjected. Did everyone think this? I had definitely missed the family meeting discussing Scorpius and I.

"Where's my costume?" I decided it was best to change the subject and to do so fast.

"Right here" Dominique pulled the clothes from her trunk as my jaw dropped. Was she having a laugh?

"No no no, no way. You've had it" If Dom expect me to dress in that then she had another thing coming.

"Try it on. Please. For me." Dom pouted handing me the costume "Just try it on"

I would try it on and if I looked like as much of a raging slut as I thought I would then I was going to burn it into a thousand tiny pieces and pour the remains onto Dom's head. Or maybe James'. The costume consisted of a super-short high waisted black shorts, a simple black strappy top and knee-high socks.

"What even is it meant to be?" I called from the bathroom, slipping the tiny outfit on.

"You're gonna be a cat" Well that's funny because no cat I'd ever seen looked like this "Come out Rosie, I want to charm your ears and tail"

So, it didn't look _as_ slutty as I thought it would. Maybe I could go out in public like this. It just wasn't very me – more Dominique and Victoire on a night out – but right now I didn't have any other option and I truly believe that Dom will cause actual bodily harm if I don't do as she says.

"If our Dads saw us dressed like this" I looked between Dominique and I, imagining the look of horror that our Dads would undoubtedly have "When James sees us dressed like this"

"His face will be priceless" Lily giggled, though her costume was much more tame. Dominique had made her into the devil to compliment her own angel costume, recycling the dress she wore to Al's party paired with charmed devil horns and a tail with much lighter make-up than I had been inflicted.

"All the more reason" Isabella appeared at the doorway dressed in a stripy yellow and black dress with antenna and wings to complete a bumble bee fancy dress outfit. Never mind Stephen having heart failure, I think James would be joining him.

"Hey Bella" Dom greeted her best friend with a hug "You ready to go?"

"Yep" Isabella led the way down to the common room passing other people frantically getting ready to the party. Most of Gryffindor's older years had been invited along with a healthy selection from the other houses "You all look great. I see you let Dom have her wicked way with you both"

"How could you tell?" I asked gesturing to my outfit "I look like a red-headed Dominique"

"You look great Rosie" Isabella reassured "I wish I had your figure, it's to die for"

"No need to lie to make me feel better" I was self-conscious about how tightly the fabric of the dress clung to my body and it did not leave much to the imagination.

"I'm not lying" Didn't make me feel any better though, the dress was both too high and too low for my taste. We made our way quietly to the party, trying to ignore how uncomfortable I was and how much I was dreading spending the night like this.

The party was in full swing, music blaring out of the speakers, people dancing and drinking. Lily had left me to find Lysander and god knows where Dominique had dragged Isabella leaving me to fend for myself.

"Louis" I almost jumped on the blonde boy when I saw him, his eyes widening in shock when he realised who it was "Blame your sister"

"I guessed that" Louis grinned knowing the torture that Dom had put me through – she often used to make him play dress up as a child much to his annoyance and her amusement.

"Have you seen Al?" Al was really the only person I would feel comfortable with tonight.

"He's with Scorpius, they were by the drinks table" Figures. That's where he usually is at parties.

I weaved my way through the party-goers, ignoring any passing attempts to dance with me from people I had never even seen before.

"Frankenstein? Really, Al?" I called as I approached my cousin and Scorpius who had come as a vampire "Haven't you done that every year since forever?"

"Ro-rosie?" Al and Scorpius both stared at me making me more self-conscious than I already was, maybe I should have just stayed with Louis, he understood what Dom had put me through.

"No it's James" I answered rolling my eyes "Who do you think it is you numpty"

"You look...different" Way to make a girl feel better Albus.

"Dominique made me" Well she hadn't actually forced me to wear this but the threat was there "I didn't even want to come at all, in fact I might just go back now because if you're going to spend the whole night telling me how different I look then..."

"Don't go Rose" Scorpius interrupted me "Albus didn't mean it in a bad way"

"Has James seen you yet?" Al's confused expression morphed into amusement.

"No and I plan on keeping it that way for as long as possible, you know what he's like, he'd probably Owl my Dad to come to the castle for gods sake" I wouldn't put anything past James Potter "Do I look that bad?"

"Not at all" I knew Al wouldn't lie to me – if I looked like crap then he'd be first in line to tell me which he often did "Have you not seen the way people have been looking at you? You look amazing"

"I look like Dominique" Maybe that was Dom's plan, to make sure her legacy continued when she left this year.

"And when has Dom ever looked bad?" Al grinned. That part was true – not once in my lifetime had I seen Dom look anything but perfect. Even when she had the flu for two weeks she looked good. Maybe I didn't look so bad once you got past the initial trashiness "I'm gonna go talk to Lily and Lysander, make sure he's keeping to his word. Back in a few."

I didn't know what that word was nor did I want to.

"Stop worrying" Scorpius moved closer, speaking over the blare of the music. Scorpius' pale complexion lent itself to his vampire costume along with charmed fangs that peeked out when he spoke and a black cape.

"I'm not worrying" I lied.

"Yes you are" he raised his eyebrows at me, flashing a fanged grin. Huh. I always thought I was a pretty decent liar; so why could Scorpius see right through me.

"I feel like, like, like a whore" I spluttered out, he knew I was lying anyway, I might as well just tell him.

"Rose" Scorpius spoke softly cupping my hands in his, an odd sensation surging through my entire body as he did so. "You are the least whore-like girl I know. It's just a costume. You aren't your cousin."

He was right. It was just a costume. I was being totally and utterly ridiculous.

"I know" I breathed a deep sigh our hands not moving. "This just isn't what I'm used to"

"Look around Rose" I started to glance around the bustling room, everyone moving to the music, chatting, dancing...snogging. "Lots of girls are in slutty costumes _and _they're kissing people they've probably never even spoke to before and never will again. You're not that type of girl, you know that. Most of these people will be too mortally drunk by the end of the night to remember what you were wearing. Let your actions define you, not what your cousin made you wear to some party."

"Have you ever considered a career in counselling?" I spoke calmly for the first time all night.

"I'll keep it in mind" Scorpius chuckled probably thinking that I was joking but I was being serious. A lot of people had tried and failed to make me relax and for him to do so in such a short space of time was really an achievement. "Rose, would you like to dance?"

"I don't dance" I answered simply.

"Everyone can dance" Scorpius released our hands before intertwining our fingers and dragging me to the dancefloor the strange sensation filling my veins again leaving a funny feeling in the pit of my stomach. What even was that?

"I don't dance _well._"

"Neither do I" Scorpius smirked as he leant in to whisper in my ear "Relax Rose"

The way he was twirling me round, moving his body in perfect time to the beat told a different story – he was in fact a very good dancer. We danced and danced until my feet hurt, we were laughing and joking, poking fun at the other couples just enjoying each other's company. I'd completely forgotten about my ridiculous Dom costume until I saw James.

"James get off me" my cousin had grabbed my wrists pulling me away from Scorpius "you're hurting me"

"What the _hell_ are you wearing?" Why did James Potter have to ruin any happy moment in my life. It had happened at my 6th birthday party when he ate my cake and it was happening now.

"It's a costume. Ask Dom. Now do one" I glared at James before making my way back to Scorpius, I was not allowing my stupid cousin to ruin my night.

"Rosie" James just wouldn't drop it, would he? "You can't go around dressed like that, you'll give people the wrong idea"

"I'll look after her" Scorpius spoke up looking between James and I. "Don't worry James, I'll make sure she gets back to her dorm safe and alone"

"You better had Malfoy" James spat before stalking off to find his next victim, sorry, I mean conquest.

"That was very nice of you" I smiled at the blond boy, not many people would face an overprotective cousin, especially when said cousin was an angry James Potter.

"I meant it" Scorpius leant in to my ear his breath tickling the back of my neck, every hair standing to attention at his words "I won't ever let anything happen to you Rose"

Scorpius' words rang in my mind as we continued to dance away the rest of the party.

_I won't ever let anything happen to you Rose. _I believed him, I don't know why, but I did.

"Thanks for walking me back" We lingered at the portrait that led into the Gryffindor common room.

"Any time" Scorpius winked "Goodnight Rose"

"Goodnight Scorpius" I smiled at the Slytherin boy "Call me Rosie"

As I led in bed my mind wandered to a conversation six years previously and I think my Dad was totally off point when he told me to stay away from the Malfoy boy because right now he was the only person I wanted to spend time with, the only person who I couldn't get off my mind and he was definitely the only person who gave me that odd sensation in my stomach. Merlin help me I think I...I think I might fancy Scorpius Malfoy.

**A/N – Sooooo yay Scorose! What does everyone think? Reviews make me :)**


	10. Girl Talk

**Disclaimer: Unfortunately don't own anything**

I'd decided that I needed some time away from Scorpius...to think. That was a lame excuse, I just couldn't look him in the eyes any more without getting that funny feeling and it was starting to interfere with my day to day life so I ran in the opposite direction whenever I saw him coming. Scorpius and Al were closer than ever which meant that if I wanted to see Al, I would have to face Scorpius too and since I may or may not have a tiny little crush on him, splitting my time between Dom and Lily was a much better option and I'd even taken to sitting with Hannah and Alice in classes. I just don't deal with feelings very well, unless they are ones of hatred towards James of course, those I can deal with. Every situation in my life I like to have control over, hell, I even chose my own Hogwart's house and I guess I don't react well when I lose that control. Huh, I guess I'm a bit of a control freak. Hugo was right.

Lily, Isabella and I had taken up Dom's offer on having a sleepover in her dorm; we'd gotten snacks from the house elves in the kitchen and were sipping on hot chocolate topped with the most delicious marshmallows. I didn't need boys, I was content and happy here with just girls – maybe I could live a Scorpius and Al (and most definitely James) free existence.

"How's Lysander?" Isabella asked Lily– the two were as cute as ever and I'd gotten to know the Scamander twin much better. Lysander was a very sweet boy who obviously cared a lot for my baby cousin.

"He's great" Lily grinned at the mention of her boyfriend. "How's Stephen, Dom? Still pretending that you're not dating?"

"I don't know what you're talking about" the blonde swished her hair and examined her nails, the way she always did when she was avoiding answering something she didn't want to. Dominique's and Stephen's 'relationship' had become much more of an actual relationship than a fake relationship recently – they paraded around the castle holding hands, whispering to each other in the common room and generally being rather...sweet? In a twisted kind of way.

"Yes you do" Isabella teased her friend, raising her eyebrows. "You know you like him."

"You _like_ like him Dom" Lily said giggling.

"And so what if I do?" Dom spoke quickly with the tinge of a French accent creeping in her voice.

"He likes you too" I told her – there wasn't a boy in the castle that wasn't related to her that didn't like her.

"Stephen likes Lydia" Dom was quiet now...sad, almost? I never thought I'd see the day that Dominique Weasley was upset by a boy. Maybe the world is ending. "I'm just something to make her jealous."

"You're much more than that" Isabella smiled "I don't think he even cares about her any more, you _do_ see the way he looks at you, don't you?"

"Maybe he's a really good actor" No-one could act that well. "Why would he like me? No boy ever sticks around with Dominique Weasley, I'm just something for them to play with and then drop when they realise they don't want to take me home to mummy and daddy."

That's why she drops them – before they have the chance to drop her. Why had I never realised before? Dom isn't heartless...she's _scared_. Scared that people only like her for how she looks and not who she is.

"Do you really like him?" Lily asked, all eyes on the blonde girl with her head in her hands, none of us really knowing what to do or say.

"I think so" Dom raised her head, tears decorating her normally flawless complexion, mascara streaked down her face. It was unsettling to see my normally so strong cousin so vulnerable and hurt; if Dominique was able to be broken then anybody was.

"Tell him." said Lily softly.

"I can't. What we have now is better than nothing." I felt the pain in Dom's voice, my heart aching for her...how had the most loveless relationship Hogwarts had ever seen turned into this?

"But Dom, how will you know how he really feels if you never ask? I spent a long time liking Lysander and telling him was the scariest and best thing I have ever done.". There was only one way Dom was going to know the truth but what if that truth hurt more than what she was feeling now?

"It's different with us Lily. It's complicated." Dom said, her voice breaking.

"It is" Isabella agreed. "But for what it's worth, I think he probably feels the same way."

"How do you know?" Dom sniffed.

"When was the last time he even mentioned Lydia?" Dom shrugged her shoulders at her friend. "Exactly. Stephen might not be crying about it in his dorm room to Albus but he's probably thinking the exact same thing as you. Tell him, Dom."

"I can't." she stuttered "Not yet."

"Whenever you're ready." I reassured her – it would do nobody good to rush her into something that she wasn't ready to do. The conversation drifted away from Stephen and Dom when it was clear to everybody in the room that she wanted nothing more to be said about the two of them. I was sure that was the most bare Dom had ever laid herself to anybody (in the metaphorical sense, of course) before.

"So Rosie, you gonna tell us why you're avoiding Al?" Lily smirked.

"I'm not avoiding Albus." That was true – for the most part anyway, it was Scorpius I was avoiding.

"You so are" Dom had brightened up in the past half hour, probably to do with the amount of chocolate she'd demolished. "This is like 4th year all over again."

"It is nothing like 4th year, in 4th year Albus was the one avoiding _me_" Come to think about it, that was Scorpius' fault too.

"If you aren't avoiding him then why do you run away at the mere mention of his name?" Lily questioned.

"I do not run away fr-" I began before being interrupted by Isabella.

"Yes you do, you ran past me this morning actually." Oh. Well, yes I may have had a close shave in a quiet corridor with Al and Scorpius this morning which left me sprinting out into the grounds to seek refuge with Hagrid.

"I was in a rush." I lied.

"You're impossible Rose." Lily huffed. "And a stinking liar."

I wasn't ready to tell them the real reason as to why I couldn't bear to spend time with my cousin and his friend. Quite frankly, I didn't really have a plausible explanation that extended beyond _"Oh, I might fancy Scorpius but I'm not really sure because I've never really fancied anyone before. Ah and yes he gives me a funny feeling in my tummy. Think they might be butterflies. Brilliant."_- why did I have a horrible tendency to run away from boys? It is really getting ridiculous.

"Rose Weasley don't you _dare_ run away" Oh crap. Crappy crap crap. Albus.

"Albus." I spun on my heel smiling brightly at my cousin – we were in too close proximity to pretend that I hadn't heard him. Outside of classes I had managed to avoid Al and Scorpius for a good month, it was really an achievement.

"What exactly is your problem?" Al sidled up next to me as I begun to speed walk.

"Problem?" _Where to begin_, I thought. "Absolutely no problem."

"Rose." Al grabbed by arm tight, pulling me to the side of the corridor. Oh, he was angry. Very angry. "You better tell me right now what is going on or I _swear_ to Merlin I will never ever forgive you."

"Yes you will." I tested – okay maybe not the best idea Rose, he looks scarier than Dad does when Mum makes him a salad for dinner.

"Rose." Albus said sternly.

"Albus." I sighed, wanting desperately to tell my best friend everything. "It's nothing."

"It's obviously something. Nothing doesn't make you act like this." The something is that you're always with Scorpius and there's the little problem in that I can't look at him without well, I don't know what.

"I don't know Albus." I answered honestly. I didn't know. I didn't know anything anymore.

"That's great Rose, just great." said Albus harshly. "Nice knowing you."

**A/N...reviews make me write faster! ;)**


	11. Christmas Part I

**Disclaimer: not owning anything still!**

Christmas break had begun and I'd spent the entirety so far holed up in my bedroom avoiding my family and most importantly Al. The last time we'd spoken was far from friendly and it was likely that he'd told the rest of our family what a waste of space best friend/horrible person I was. I'd managed up to the 24th December just seeing Mum, Dad and Hugo – though they were curious as to why I had so much 'homework' to do that just couldn't wait. In actual fact I'd finished all my school work within two days and was now just idly reading, sleeping and thinking over my bad life choices. Where did it all go wrong? How had I managed to lose my best friend, end up with next to nobody outside of my family, a non-existent love life and I may have a slight, inconvenient crush on a boy that probably hates me now. If I could go back in time I would; not that I would know where to go to, but anything would be better than the way I'm feeling now.

Maybe I should go back to first year – if I had chosen to be sorted into a different house then my life would be different. If I'd have chosen Ravenclaw or Hufflepuff I would have made different friends, perhaps wouldn't have relied on Al so much, hell, maybe I would have turned into a completely different person. Ravenclaw would have focused my mind on my studies, I would have ignored the trivial drama that seemed to follow me around or possibly Hufflepuff would have taught me to be kinder, to not run away from my problems – from myself. Then again, your house doesn't define who you are, look at Scorpius he was a Slytherin and he definitely didn't act like the rest of them. _Merlin_, Rose; stop thinking about him. Perhaps _he_ was the problem. I should go back to second year and demand a new partner in muggle studies, maybe skip that class so I was paired with somebody else so that I never realised that Scorpius was not the big, bad Malfoy boy thus I wouldn't have developed a crush on him and my life would be relatively sane. I wouldn't go back to third year – I think I'd like to forget that McLaggen ever happened. Gross. Fourth year. _That's_ when everything changed. Al had enlisted Scorpius' help as a tutor and their friendship began. Yes, I would go back to fourth year and make sure that I became Al's tutor and the two never became friends because the events that then followed would never have happened and I wouldn't be here. I knew it would be Al's fault. Stupid Al.

But...this is all irrelevant because I couldn't go back in time.

"Rosie" Mum peered around my doorway, knocking lightly on the oak door. "Time to go."

"Where?" I asked, turning my book the right way up hoping she hadn't noticed.

"The Burrow" confusion washing over her face. "It's Christmas Eve, you know all the family stay there. You're in your own little world at the moment aren't you?"

"I guess I am." If only she knew – or maybe she did. Mum seemed to know everything else.

"I know it's hard being a teenager." Oh no. I hated talks like this. Someone kill me now. An avada straight to the heart. "I've been there. Your Aunt Ginny told me Al has been the same all holidays, very quiet. Maybe it's your age."

"Maybe." Or maybe it's because he hates me because I am an awful excuse for a human being.

"Whatever is bothering you, it will get better. I promise." I highly doubt that.. "Get your stuff together, we're leaving in 5 minutes. I love you Rose."

We were the first to arrive at the Burrow and were warmly greeted by Nana and Grandpa Weasley, the way we always were. It felt like home, it smelt like home, it _was_ home. This year I would be sharing a bedroom with Lily and Dom, which suited me just fine. Aunt Fleur, Uncle Bill, Victoire, Dom and Louis were the next to arrive followed by Uncle George, Aunt Angelina and their children. Uncle Percy would be spending the holidays visiting Uncle Charlie this year in Romania leaving just the Potter's to arrive. Maybe if I left now nobody would notice.

"I can't wait for tomorrow. It will be Lysander's and I first Christmas as a couple." The Scamander's always spent Christmas day at the Burrow and both families had taken the news of the couple's relationship surprisingly well with both mother's insisting 'they'd seen it coming for years'.

"Stephen said he's going to come round in the evening." Dom added as she started to unpack her clothes. Their relationship status hadn't changed but if him visiting her for Christmas wasn't a sure sigh they were _actually_ dating then I didn't know what was. "James invited Isabella but she said no."

"He _what ?"_ Lily gasped. Though, it really wasn't a surprise. Even I knew he fancied the pants off her.

"She's in Italy visiting family." Dom shrugged. "He said your parents said they could invite one friend and he asked her."

"They did." Lily nodded. "But Lysander was already coming."

"Who did Al ask?" my curiosity got the better of me. Earlier that day as soon as I heard the familiar _pop_ of the Potter's arriving I ran as fast as my legs could carry me up the stairs and into my room so the only Potter I've seen is Lily who came to settle in with Dom and I.

"Don't you know?" Lily and Dom said in unison, glancing between themselves and me nervously.

"Al asked Scorpius." Oh. Well. _Merlin_ help me. I really must have done something terrible in a previous life to deserve this. "His family are abroad anyway so he's been at our house for break. I really thought Al would have told you, though, I suppose why would he, you haven't been talking have you? He's been very quiet Rosie, I think Al is rather upset, I don't know what's gone on between the three of you but it affected him too. You should really so-"

"I get the picture Lily" I snapped without meaning to.

"Don't get angry at Lily." said Dom quickly. "It's not our fault you have some problem with Al and Scorpius."

"I don't have a problem with them." I sank into my bed, curling my knees up to my chest and burying my face. "I don't know."

"Rosie." Lily and Dom both rushed to my bed, feeling the jolt when they sat down. "Please tell us what's wrong."

Maybe I would feel better if I told someone. That's how the saying goes, isn't it? A problem shared and all that. But if I told Dom and Lily, I would lose the last little bit of control I had over my feelings; the part that allowed to me to keep it inside my head.

"I don't know." I mumbled. I couldn't do it any more. I was going to spend _Christmas_ with him, I just couldn't keep it all inside my mind. It was time to let go. "I think, I-I-I th-"

"Deep breaths." Dom squeezed my hand tightly.

"I don't know how I feel." I spoke the words slowly, trying to make sense of them myself, unable to find any comprehension or order in the chaos of my thoughts. "It's not Albus, he hasn't done anything."

"So it's Scorpius?" Lily asked and I nodded in return. "You don't know how you feel about Scorpius?"

"It's different." I said. I knew I wasn't making any sense. I couldn't even understand myself. "It just, sort of happened. Halloween, I told him to call me Rosie and then I couldn't stop thinking about him. There's a funny feeling whenever I look at him, you know?"

"I know." Lily smiled apologetically at me before looking at Dom. "We know."

"So I avoided him and to avoid him I had to avoid Al. I just didn't understand." It felt...good to talk about it. Relief. Calm.

"You were scared of your feelings." said Dom softly.

"I don't know. Maybe. Probably." the room was deadly silent for a moment. "I think I like him. A lot. But he hates me."

"Scorpius doesn't hate you." Lily said. "Neither does Al. They're probably just confused and upset that their friend didn't want to see them. Put yourself in their shoes, you'd be confused too."

"What do you think I should do?" I asked.

"I think you should freshen up, go downstairs, go speak to your friends and apologise." Apologise? "Don't give me that look Rose Weasley, I know the word isn't even in your dictionary but intentional or not you're the one who ignored them and for that you need to say sorry. Sort that out and we'll figure out what to do about Scorpius – you need to be friends again before you think about anything else."

Lily really did have wisdom beyond her years. Aunt Ginny and Uncle Harry should be very proud of their daughter.

**A/N your reviews make me so happy! What are your thoughts? :-)**


	12. Christmas Part II

**Disclaimer – not owning anything!**

I can do this. I am Rose bloody Weasley and I can do this. I am going to march right down the stairs, straight to Al and Scorpius then I am going to ask them to talk in private and sort out the big mess that is my life.

I'm being ridiculous – why was I _scared_ of doing something so simple. Why was I still locked in my bedroom after an hour of feeble promises to myself that I was going to go and sort it out..._just another five minutes_ I'd say. Yeah, right.

"Rose." Dom flung the door open, it hitting the wall. "What are you doing?"

"Nothing." There it was – she looked murderous again. I'd missed that. "Just chilling."

"Rose." scolded Dom. It was probably best to go before she turned into the psychopath I'm sure she was.

"I'm going, I'm going." It took all my energy to swing my legs off the bed and walk past Dom and down the familiar corridor. What's the worst that could happen? I suppose they could refuse to talk to me leaving me both best friend-less and...er, heartbroken? No, only someone who actually has my heart can break it and the only people who have my heart are me, myself and I.

"Alright Rosie, thought you'd left the family." a familiar voice spoke just as I reached to open the door leading to Al and Scorpius.

"I'll see you later, James" I said calmly. I did not need James Potter in my life right at this moment.

"Or will it be another month before the elusive Rose Weasley leaves her room?" He really is an irritating person.

"Shove off James" I turned away from the brunette boy. "I'm not in the mood."

"That's no way to speak to your elders Rosie!" James raised his voice slightly.

"Elders? You're barely a year older than me! Plus, you have the mental age of a baby baboon!" I shouted anger bubbling up inside of me. I couldn't help myself when it came to James; he knew exactly where my buttons were and just how to push them. "I can speak to you whatever way I want to James Potter!"

"Well _sorry_ Miss Perfect Grades! At least I know how to treat my friends, unlike some people in this family, naming no names." James coughed dramatically. "_You."_

"And what exactly is that supposed to mean." I spoke harshly.

"It means that you and your girly dramatics have really upset my little brother." _Girly dramatics?_ "No way to treat your best friends Rose, is it? And this isn't the first time that this has happened."

"Shut. Up. James." I all but screamed at him. "You don't know _anything, _in fact why don't you do us all a fav-"

"Rose?" I hadn't noticed the door to my left opening revealing the confused face of Al, looking between me and his his brother. "James?"

"She's mental." James pointed at me before stalking off, calling back at his brother. "I think she's finally lost it."

"I'm not mental." I said quietly to Al.

"I know that." was he...laughing? "Doesn't mean everyone else does though."

"They're just misguided on my sanity." I can do this. I can do this. I _can_ do this. "Can we talk? I've got to tell you something."

"Yeah sure." I'd planned on talking to the both of them together but I guess he had other ideas as he spoke to his friend still inside the room. "Scorp, I'm just gonna go talk to Rose, back in a bit."

We walked silently outside, the cold air biting on my skin as we both sat on the stone steps overlooking the pond.

"Al." I spoke first, breaking the awkward silence. "I need to apologise."

"Yes, you do." he said simply.

"There's really nothing I can say but I'm sorry, I'm sorry for the way I've been and I'm sorry that I haven't spoken to you about anything. You've really done nothing wrong...it's my fault."

"Is that it?" Al shook his head. "I can't believe you Rose, I still don't get an actual explanation for your downright shocking behaviour? I'm sorry Rose, but you can't just say sorry with no real reasoning and think that all will be forgiven. Not again."

"Al, wait." I jumped up pulling his arm to sit back down. I had to tell him. Merlin, this is going to be awful. I'm beginning to think that I actually was Voldemort in a previous life. "I'll tell you."

"Rosie? Are you crying?" I moved my hand to my face and felt the dampness - and I thought things couldn't get any worse.

"Nope." I lied.

"From the beginning." Al moved his arm around my shoulders, squeezing me tight. "I'm your best friend, come on, it can't be that bad."

"You've got to promise you won't breathe a word to anyone." I said, mental images of him going to laugh with his friend over his cousin's crush on him flashing in my mind.

"Promise." Al smiled.

"Okay." I took a deep breath. "But you're going to laugh at me."

"Rose." he rolled his eyes, nudging me in the ribs. "Promise."

"Do you remember James' Halloween party?" Al nodded. "You left me alone with Scorpius most of the night, we danced together, he was really nice to me Al, he stuck up for me with James and after he walked me back to my dorm all I could think about was him. Whenever I closed my eyes his face popped into my mind, it was like I couldn't get away from him. I panicked. But wherever he was, you were. I just didn't know what else to do, I couldn't even look at him Al. I'm so sorry."

Al was silent as he gazed up at the cloud covered sky. What was he thinking? Probably wondering how he ended up with the world's worst best friend.

"Al, say something." Anything.

"I did _not_ expect that." Al chuckled. "Well I'll be damned."

"You promised you wouldn't laugh." I huffed but then realised that meant he wasn't angry. "So, you don't hate me?"

"No." he answered simply. "I couldn't ever hate you Rosie, you're my favourite."

"You're my favourite too, just don't tell your sister that." I thought of Lily who had helped me more than anyone these past few weeks. "She knows. Dom too."

"You weren't going to tell me were you." he said quietly.

"No." the plan was to just apologise to Al – not to confess how I may have unintentionally developed a crush on his friend, but here we are. Someone up there really does hate me. "It's embarrassing."

"Don't ever be scared to tell me anything Rosie." he hugged me lightly. "No more secrets. So, when are you going to tell Scorpius?"

"T-t-tell Scorpius?" for some reason when Al spoke it made the whole situation more real and that absolutely terrified me.

"You _are_ going to tell him, aren't you?" he asked.

"Not yet." Not ever, I thought.

"I really think you should." Al said. "It won't be as bad as you think."

And how would Al know?

"I'm not ready to. I don't even know how I feel." I told him.

"You just said you fancied the bloke...how can that be not knowing how you feel?" Al laughed at me – definitely not with me.

"How do I know how _real_ those feelings are." I argued. For all I knew it was a fleeting crush that didn't mean anything.

"You're never going to know unless you try." Has he been having wisdom lessons with Lily? Stupid Potters. "I'm not going to force you Rosie, but I think you should."

"Can we go inside now? I'm cold." I stood up, changing the subject.

"Sure." he said resignedly. "You'll at least stop running away from him?"

"I want to be his friend." I said truthfully thinking back to Lily's advice as Al and I walked back up to the Burrow and to the room where Scorpius was waiting.

Scorpius was sat in the armchair reading the Daily Prophet before throwing it onto the table when we entered the room. Our eyes briefly meeting sending a shot of butterflies into my stomach before I broke away. Why did that keep happening? It really was inconvenient when trying to be somebody's friend.

"Hi." I said meekly as I made my way over to the sofa opposite.

"Hi Rose." Scorpius said politely, nodding at Al who took the seat next to me.

"Didn't I tell you to call me Rosie?" I told him smiling, letting him know I wasn't angry at him.

"I wasn't sure if yo-" he started before correcting himself when he saw my smile. "Rosie, it is."

"Haven't you got something you want to say Rosie?" Al asked, staring at me. No. He wouldn't. Merlin, please tell me he wouldn't. "An apology?"

Oh. Phew.

"Yeah." I cleared my throat, taking two deep breaths, thinking of what to say. I couldn't exactly tell him that I was sorry for running away at the mere sight of him because I fancied him. "I'm sorry for the way I've acted Scorpius, it's complicated, but I want to put it right."

"It's okay, you must have had your reasons." Scorpius said softly. How was the boy in Slytherin? Surely no Slytherin was that forgiving – maybe he's a mutant.

"She does." Al muttered under his breath.

"Albus." I sniped. "Not now."

"Are you looking forward to tomorrow?" I asked Scorpius, hoping that he hadn't heard Al.

"Yeah, I love Christmas. My parents aren't exactly festive you see, this is going to be a refreshing change." I expected a Malfoy Christmas would be very different to a Weasley one.

"You're gonna love it mate." Al said. "The food is amazing."

"Not when James throws it at you across the table." I added. "Bagsy not sitting anywhere near him this year."

"You say that every year." Al laughed. _This_ felt like home, like happiness.

"This year I mean it. He's more insufferable than ever at the moment." I don't know how that is humanely possible but it was.

"He's not that bad!" Scorpius said – yep there it was, the butterflies. I really hate those little guys.

"You're not related to him!" Al was right – I think I could cope with James in small doses outside of the home and in a public place.

"I think I'm gonna go to bed." It was almost eleven and I knew how early Christmas started at the Burrow. _Very_ early. "Night Al, good night Scorpius. See you both tomorrow."

"Dom?" I whispered at the noise of the girl next to me tossing and turning. "Are you awake?"

"Yeah." a faint voice answered.

"Can we talk?" I asked quietly, tiptoeing out of my bed and onto hers. "You're...experienced aren't you? I mean with boyfriends."

"Are you asking me for sex advice Rosie?" she said quickly.

"_No!_ I meant with you know, how you feel. Feelings about boys." I said, not quite knowing how to put my thoughts into words.

"Feelings about boys? Rosie, you sound like you're ten years old." she laughed quietly, trying not to wake Lily.

"Dom." I whined. "I spoke to Scorpius -I didn't tell him- but we're friends again."

"That's good." she said.

"Is it?" I asked. "But what if being friends means we can't be anything more?"

"Do you mean the friend zone?" Dom definitely read too many magazines.

"I guess. What if we get too close friends and it becomes weird? Or what if I never stop liking him and I have to watch him get girlfriends, fall in love, get married?" I mumbled quickly, sounding like a blithering idiot.

"Has anyone ever told you that you worry too much?" she said, shaking her head. "Stop worrying. Just take it as it comes. But you'll never know unless you tell him."

"That's what Al said." Maybe they had a point. Damn.

"Al's right. In your own time. I know you'll make the right decision Rosie." said Dom kindly.

"I'll tell him when the times right." I decided out loud. I would tell Scorpius exactly how I felt. Maybe not tomorrow. But I would. "Why couldn't you sleep?"

"Just thinking." It was 3am – whatever she was thinking about was pretty important.

"About Stephen?" I guessed.

"Yeah." she sighed. "Boys, eh? We've got ourselves into some right messes haven't we Rosie?"

"Do you want to talk about it?" I asked.

"Not now." I didn't push her any more – when she wanted to talk to me, she would.

"Good night Dom" I said, getting back into bed feeling better. "Merry Christmas."

"Merry Christmas Rosie" Dom replied sleepily.

**A/N thankyou for all your reviews – special shoutout to ****Amortentia1701**** for all your reviews!**

**So what does everyone think of Al's reaction? Dom's problem?**


	13. Christmas Part III

**Disclaimer – I don't own anything!**

I glanced at the clock as Lily shouted at me and Dom to wake up, it was just past 7am and I couldn't work out if I'd actually slept or not. You'd have thought that now all the children in the family are o1d enough to not believe in Father Christmas that we wouldn't have to wake up at the crack of dawn to open presents but that was unfortunately not the case. There was a very strict routine at the Burrow on Christmas day; wake up at 7, eat breakfast as quickly as humanely possible then it was time for presents. All before 9 am.

"Rose! Dominique! Wake up!" Lily flung herself on my bed waking me up with a jolt. "Everyone else is waiting for you! Get up!"

"I''m awake." I grumbled though I'm not sure it came out as words or an inaudible noise.

"If you don't get out of bed right now I'll go get James to wake you up." she challenged as I sat upright deciding that Lily was definitely the lesser of two evils.

"Happy now?" I mumbled putting a hooded zip up over my pyjama top, running a hair brush through my hair – I looked like death warmed up. I was even more pale than usual and dark circles lined the bottom of my sunken eyes.

"Very." Lily said skipping out of the room looking as fresh as a daisy.

"I'm so tired." I told Dom, knowing she had got about as much sleep as I had.

"Same, I didn't really sleep." she said. "At least we get presents."

"And Stephen's coming later?" I said in between brushing my teeth. "That's good, right?"

"Right." she half-smiled – how did the girl still look good after a sleepless night? It was amazing, really.

Lily was right, everyone in the family was sat on various chairs and dotted across the floor in the largest room in the house surrounding the overly large Christmas tree waiting on Dom and I.

"Nice of you two to join us." James scoffed. Would it be considered wrong to murder somebody on Christmas day? More so than on any other day? "You look awful Rosie."

"Thanks." I spat as I walked past him to sit on the floor next to Al, Scorpius on his other side.

"You alright?" Al whispered.

"Just tired." I smiled at my favourite cousin. "Bad night's sleep."

As our family was so large, we had to have some order of how to exchange and open presents or it would be total chaos. Parents would give their children their presents and then the cousins would exchange amongst themselves afterwards. It would take hours to go around everybody with the whole family's full attention. Uncle Harry and Aunt Ginny gave Lily, Al and James each a new broomstick each -definitely top of the range- with Lily promising to make the Quidditch team next year which I'm sure she would, the team was pretty much made up of only seventh years leaving a lot of empty slots come September. Dominique and Victoire received copious amounts of designer clothes and make-up like every year and Louis a new flash watch whilst Fred and Roxy got tickets to the Quidditch world cup – I think I saw a tear of happiness in Fred's eye. I wasn't expecting much presents-wise, I was never one to ask for much, as cliché as it sounds it really was the thought that mattered to me.

"Rosie." Al nudged me, everybody staring at me. I really need to stop daydreaming.

"We didn't know what to get you this year." Mum started. "You're not easy to buy for sweetheart, but I hope you like it."

"Merry Christmas Rosie Posie." I blushed at my Dad's nickname as he handed me a small red envelope, silently hoping that it was book vouchers.

_Dear Rosie,_

_3 Night Stay in France for you and four friends._

_Enjoy!_

_Love,_

_Mum and Dad_

_xx _

I read over the words again and again, not quite believing what they said. A holiday? They'd got me a _holiday?_

"You shouldn't have. Mum, Dad, this is amazing but you shouldn't have spent so much on me." I mumbled.

"You're worth every penny Rosie!" Mum reassured me. "Just pick a time and date and you're off to France!"

"Thankyou." was all I said and all I could say. I'd wanted to go to France ever since I was little but Mum and Dad's jobs don't allow much time for family holiday's so this really was an amazing present for me. Hugo had been given tickets to join Fred and Roxy at the Quidditch world cup – Mum and Dad had really gone all out this year, putting my box of chocolates I'd gotten for Mum and socks for Dad to shame. I still couldn't shake off the guilt that they'd spent so much money on me.

"Present swap?" Al said as soon as the room burst into conversation when everyone began to exchange gifts, shifting to make a sort-of triangle between Al, Scorpius and I. Luckily, I'd bought Al and Scorpius presents way in advance of our falling out (I like to beat the rush in the shops). "Rosie, before you ask I didn't spend a penny."

"Good." I grinned opening the rectangle package he'd placed on my knee, revealing a photo album with pictures of the two of us from when we were babies til now. Flicking through the pages was like watching us grow up before my own eyes – there was pictures of us as toddlers covered in mud, on our first day of primary school, birthday parties, Christmases, pictures of us at various points at Hogwarts. It was probably the most thoughtful present anyone had ever given me and I loved it.

"There's blank pages at the back so we can add more." he gushed, proud of his handywork. "Are you crying?"

"No." I sniffled. "Maybe. I love it."

"That's a lovely gift Albus." Scorpius looked over my shoulder at the album. "Didn't know you had it in you mate!"

"I have to go show my Mum and your Mum." I said before remembering I hadn't given them their presents so quickly gave them each their gift before running to find our parent's knowing they would love Al's present as much as I do. I'd gotten Scorpius a book voucher, I figured we were very similar people. Maybe that's why I fancied him, huh – that was also getting a lot easier to admit. I Rose Weasley, fancy Scorpius Malfoy, see I can at least think the words now. I'd bought Al some merchandise of his favourite Quidditch team much like I did every year. I wasn't very good at buying gifts.

"Mum!" I'd found her and Aunt Ginny sat in the kitchen talking over a cup of coffee. "Look what Al got me!"

I handed her the photo album, her eyebrows furrowing at every page turn the way they always did when she was trying not to cry. She looked at me, at the photos, then at Aunt Ginny before bursting into tears.

"Mum, don't cry." I flung my arms around her, squeezing tight.

"Wow." Aunt Ginny flipped through the album, smiling wide. "I didn't realise Al was so thoughtful."

"You're growing up so fast Rosie" Mum cleared her throat, pulling out of the hug, looking me up and down.

"They all are." Aunt Ginny added, placing a comforting hand over Mum's. "Well, maybe not James."

"James will never grow up." I liked how even his own mother laughed at his expense – it gave me a warm, fuzzy feeling inside. "His brain stopped developing at 7, I'm almost sure."

"So am I." Aunt Ginny laughed, my Mum joining in too. This was what Christmas was all about, making fun of James.

"I think Al and Lily got all the good genes." I said, thinking of how much they had both helped me over the past couple of days.

"Rose." Mum warned, though a smile was still creeping at her lips.

"What? He torments me." I was almost sure that James' one aim in life was to make mine as miserable as possible.

"He's still your cousin." she said, though I knew full well that she was aware that James all but dedicated his life to annoying me. "Have you thought about who you're taking to France yet?"

"Not yet." I hadn't even thought about who I would take or who expected I would take them. I would almost definitely take Al if he wanted to come and then probably Lily and Dom leaving one extra space to be filled. I knew exactly who I wanted to fill that spot but whether or not my heart could take being in arguably the most romantic country in the world with the one boy that gave me butterflies whenever I was in the same room as him was another story.

"I hope you'll be taking Al after his present." Mum said, flicking through the album again.

"Of course." I reassured her.

The rest of the morning passed like every other Weasley Christmas morning did, filled full of presents and food before retiring back to the large living room whilst Nana cooked the dinner to military precision.

"I am _so_ ready for dinner." Al rubbed his stomach grinning when we were told to take our places at the table.

"I don't know where you put it all." I teased, remembering how much he'd shovelled down for breakfast.

"There is always room for Nana's cooking Rosie, you know that." I scanned the table looking for James, wanting to sit as far away as possible, but he wasn't there yet. Damn. Lily and Dom were already sat on the far side with Roxy, Victoire and Teddy mostly safe from James.

"Al, don't make me sit next to him." I pleaded.

"He's not even here yet." Al said shaking his head.

"Exactly." Didn't he understand? "It leaves me open to him taking an empty seat next to me."

"Scorp" Al said as we reached the empty side of the table, opposite Dom and Lily meaning I could escape both being next to and opposite James. "Do you mind if Rosie sits in the middle?"

"Not at all." Scorpius smiled at me, sending the butterflies into a frenzy as he pulled my seat out and took a seat in the one next to it. "Is he really that bad?"

"One year he spent the whole dinner sneaking mashed potato into my hood." I answered, it took me two hours to realise what he'd done and when I tried to take it off the cold potato ran all the way down my back and into my knickers.

"Well you're safe now." he said softly, a blush burning on my cheeks involuntarily.

"Did you like your gift?" I asked Scorpius as Al began talking to Teddy about some Quidditch techniques that were quite frankly boring as hell.

"I loved it, thank you." I could feel Lily and Dom's stares biting into me as we spoke, faintly hearing their whispers. "We'll have to go shopping one day in the holidays. I don't think Al quite shares our enthusiasm for books."

"Me neither" I giggled. Like actually _giggled_ like a silly little giggling school girl. Merlin, kill me right now. "I don't think he's ever opened a book that wasn't compulsory."

"When do you want your present?" he asked casually.

"Present?" I asked. Scorpius and I hadn't spoken for weeks before Christmas, the last thing I expected was a Christmas present. I only had his because I bought it way in advance, before the whole running away from him.

"Present." he confirmed, looking slightly confused. "Have you forgotten it's Christmas, Rosie?"

"No, no." I shook my head, desperately not wanting him to think I was a crazy person with short term memory loss. "Erm, after dinner?"

"Sure." I didn't want him to give me a present in front of Dom and Lily, knowing that they would take it to be much more than it actually was. "I think you're definitely safe."

"I think you're right." I said as James and Fred filled two empty seats at the opposite end of the table. "Do you want me to swap with Al?"

"No." he answered quickly. "I like it here."

I think the butterflies were having some kind of party.

"Dinner's served! Nana Molly shouted as masses of food appeared on the table. "Merry Christmas everyone!"

"Ow." I felt a kick under the table, looking up to find Dom grinning at me, looking between Scorpius and I before winking.

"Stop it." I mouthed hoping he hadn't seen.

"What?" Dom mouthed back. "You're so cute together."

I dismissed her as I carried on eating my dinner, looking in wonder at how much both Al and James had managed to eat so far. I think they were onto the record this year and definitely were giving my Dad a run for his money on the greedy pig stakes.

"I'm stuffed" I declared pushing my plate away. I'd done better than the rest of the Weasley girls who had already dismissed themselves from the table – if we all waited for everybody to finish then we could be there for a good four hours if my Dad was having a good day.

"Weak." Al mumbled with a mouthful of turkey.

"Pig." I countered.

"I think I'm done too." Scorpius said, shaking his head at Al shovelling even more food onto his plate. "He's something else."

"You haven't seen my Dad." I pointed towards the middle-aged man who was on his third helping of food. "He's a machine."

"Impressive." Scorpius nodded. "When can I give you your present?"

"Now?" I asked, excusing myself from the table, gesturing for Scorpius to follow. I had my own tradition after Christmas dinner to take a walk around the grounds of the Burrow. Both to walk off the amount of food I'd eaten and to give myself a break from the noise. "I like to go for a walk after dinner."

"On your own?" he asked, following me out of the back door catching up to me.

"Usually." I said, suddenly aware of how close we were as we walked. "I like the quiet."

"Me too." the blond boy said. "Are you cold?"

"No." I wasn't cold. I was freezing.

"Wear it." Scorpius shrugged off the coat he'd thought to pick up on our way out.

"I'm fine." I said not knowing whether the butterflies would survive wearing something of his.

"Rosie." Scorpius ignored me and placed his coat around my shoulders. "You're very stubborn, aren't you?"

"Thanks." I smiled up at him, taking in the smell as I slipped it on properly. It's warmth filling my whole body. "Just a little."

"You're very welcome Rosie" Scorpius' smooth voice sent shivers down my spine as I realised how much I liked him saying my name. Was that normal? "Can I give you your present now?"

"You shouldn't have bought me anything." we stopped walking, standing face to face as he pulled out a long oblong shaped box from an inside pocket of his shirt.

"Why?" he asked, moving ever so slightly closer to me. "You bought me something."

"I've been rotten to you, that's why." I argued.

"I always considered you my friend, Rosie. Friends buy each other Christmas Presents. I wanted to." he spoke softly. "Open it."

"But I feel bad." How could I be so horrible to someone and them still think to buy me a gift? One day there was going to be some bad karma coming my way.

"Rosie." he laughed, looking up to the cloudless sky before meeting my eyes and placing the box into my hands. "Open."

"Okay." I mumbled, carefully opening the wrapping paper and the box, almost dropping it in shock when I saw what it was. Inside lay a silver necklace with a _R_ pendant hanging delicately in the centre. For possibly the first time I my whole life I was rendered completely and utterly speechless. Not only had he spent way too much money on me it was also absolutely beautiful. The kind of present that you would treasure for a lifetime.

"Do you like it?" I closed my mouth realising it had fallen open in shock. "Rosie?"

"Scorpius, I." I finally managed to form words. "I don't even know what to say."

"You don't like it, do you?" he ran a hand carelessly through his hair that shone silver in the moonlight. "I can take it back, you can choose something else."

"Scorpius, shut up." I all but tackled him to the floor as I jumped up and hugged him. Electric shocks running though my veins as we touched. "I love love love it. It's beautiful. But you really shouldn't have spent so much money."

"Don't worry about the money." he said as I jumped off him, realising he had a large toothy grin plastered across his face. "I'm just glad you like it, I was worried you wouldn't."

"Are you joking? How could I _not_ like it? It's perfect!" I said excitedly.

"Let me help you put it on." he slid the necklace out of my hands, moving my hair over to one shoulder, his warm breath tickling the back of my neck as the cold silver sent shivers down my spine. "Perfect."

"Thanks." I said taking a moment to catch my breath. Merlin, I've got it worse than I thought.

"It looks nice." he said admiring the necklace making me conscious. "You'll wear it to the New Year's Eve party?"

"You're going?" I said with probably a bit too much enthusiasm before answering his question. "I'm going to wear it everyday."

"I'm staying with Al 'til the start of term." I shouldn't have been surprised, it was at the Potter's house – of course he'd be going.

"Good." I said as we began to make our way back to the house. "It's fun but everyone always gets absolutely trollied and I end up putting Al to bed _every single year_."

"Well at least you'll have someone to help you this year." The thought of spending New Year's Eve with him sent my head into a spin and heart into a flutter.

"I'll hold you to that." I promised and meant it. I really did hate having to babysit Al all night.

"What are you doing for the rest of the week?" he asked, lingering at the door to the Burrow. "We could go book shopping?"

"I would love to." I sighed trying to decide whether I could feign illness to my parents. "But we're going to my Grandma and Grandpa Granger tomorrow until the 31st. I really wish I didn't have to."

"Don't worry about it. We'll go the week after." he winked at me and I think I actually felt my heart skip a beat. Surely that isn't healthy? Maybe I should see a healer about that.

"Promise." I agreed following him back into the much quieter house, reluctantly giving him back his coat.

"I'll hold you to that." he mimicked my words.

"You've been ages!" Al burst into the corridor. "Where've you been?"

"Needed some air." I answered, leaving out the part about the necklace. "Where's Dom? And Lily?"

"With their boyfriends. Everyone's so coupley, it's making me sick. Hey Rosie, are Dom and Stephen, you know a real thing now?" Al asked, though I didn't really know the answer to that myself. I don't think even Dom knows the answer.

"I have no idea." I said honestly. "Can I stay in your room 'til they've gone home? I don't want to be the third wheel."

"Sure." I followed Al and Scorpius to their ground floor room. It was small and basic but they'd somehow managed to make it look like a bomb had hit it in the one night they'd been here. I spent the rest of the night chatting with the two boys about anything and everything, enjoying both their company. Every so often I would look at the necklace that was hidden under my shirt, just rolling it in between my fingers and I even caught myself smelling my hoody where a hint of Scorpius' after shave still remained. And then I realised something – I had it _bad, _really bad.

**A/N – so this one was a lot longer! But yay Scorose! Reviews make me update quicker :)**


	14. New Beginnings

**Disclaimer – don't own anything!**

The week with my grandparent's in their sleepy suburb just outside of London passed in a sort of daze. I'd spent most of the time either thinking about Scorpius or thinking about how I should really stop thinking about Scorpius which was a pointless exercise that just continued my constant daydreams about him. I suspected my Mum knew there was something on my mind – she kept giving me this _look_ that could only be described as unsettling. I didn't plan on telling her about my infatuation with Scorpius Malfoy, mainly because I knew that whilst my Dad had accepted Scorpius as mine and Al's friend just fine it would be completely different kettle of fish if his own daughter announced how much she fancied him. It wasn't that I was ashamed of liking Scorpius, he was probably the kindest person I'd met, it was that I didn't see the need in causing my Dad any unnecessary stress. Plus telling my parents about a crush is maybe the most mortifying and embarrassing thing I could think of regardless of who it was.

I'd decided to get ready for the New Year's eve party at my house this year wanting to avoid the guaranteed chaos of the Potter home. Using Christmas money, I'd bought myself a gold bandage dress from a muggle shop close to my grandparent's. The dress was perhaps slightly too small but albeit flattering, it smoothed my stomach and complemented my hair and skin tone. It was nowhere near as revealing as my Halloween outfit but I didn't look like a twelve year old girl any more. I'd twisted my hair into loose curls the way that Dom had shown me, pinning the front strands back and out of my face. Good to go, I thought as I took one last look in the mirror and out of the door.

"No way. Not a chance. Hermione. Tell her." Dad spluttered standing in front of the fireplace.

"Ron." Mum hesitated. "Don't be so unreasonable."

Dad shook his head, his eyes locked on me and my outfit. "It's way too short."

"I'm not a baby!" I argued and honestly I'd seen much shorter dresses on every female member of our family including Mum.

"You should have seen what she was wearing on Halloween." Hugo laughed from the corner of the room.

"Not now." I shot at him, my hand reaching for my wand just in case he opens his mouth again.

"What did you wear on Halloween?" Dad shouted. Good one Hugo. I'll remember this.

"That isn't what we're talking about Ron." Mum smiled at me quickly before turning to her husband. "We're going to be late. Rose is old enough to decide what she wears, you're being ridiculous, now move out of the way."

Mum literally pushed her way past Dad pulling me along with her "Ron, are you coming or not?" she asked him sternly.

"I'm coming." he resigned. "but I'm not happy about that dress."

"Al?" I knocked on the familiar bedroom door a quiet hum of music escaping from the room.

"Come in." he called, the music disappearing. "Rosie!"

Al was dressed in a red checked shirt and his smartest pair of jeans though his hair was as messy as ever, I spied a small glass of firewhiskey on his bedside table. It wouldn't be New Year without a drunken Al.

"Alright?" I said, sitting carefully on the end of his bed realising that this dress didn't allow much in terms of movement.

"Nice dress." he commented. "Want a drink?"

"No thanks." I then noticed that he didn't just have a glass of firewhiskey but a hipflask tucked into the waist of his jeans. "James would be proud."

"He got it me for Christmas." Al chuckled lightly. "Have you spoken to him recently?"

I thought back to Christmas and how we'd done nothing but argue with each other. "No." I answered. "It's been great."

"A James free life is a stress free life." that would be true if it wasn't for the Scorpius situation. "it's also a boring one."

"I like boring." I did, it was much easier.

"Yeah yeah, you _love_ arguing with James." Did I ever mention Al was much more annoying after he'd had a drink? Because he was.

"I do _not_ love arguing with James." though it did sometimes make me feel better. "It just lets me release my pent up anger without killing anyone. Where's Scorpius?"

"Helping Mum out." he glanced at his clock seeing that it read 8pm. "Party starts now, best go downstairs before they send out a search party."

"You mean Lily?" I asked.

"Yep." Al put his hipflask back into his jeans pulling me out of the room making me trip on my heels and almost fall flat on my face. "How do you even walk in those?"

"Not very well." I tottered down the stairs clinging to the bannister for dear life.

"There he is." Al whispered nodding over to the far side of the room, following his eyes to a tall, slender blond boy chatting animatedly to Aunt Ginny and my Mum. "You gonna go talk to him or what? Nice necklace by the way and Rose, you should tell him."

"Thanks." I said quickly before leaving him to go see Scorpius ignoring his encouragement.

"Rosie!" Aunt Ginny lunged forward hugging me tightly, Scorpius turning quickly to meet my smile upon hearing my name. "You look fabulous, I don't know what your Dad was talking about."

"He was being a prude." my Mum answered for me. "I think he forgets how old Rosie is sometimes."

"You look lovely." Scorpius spoke slowly and softly. "Want to go get a drink?"

Both Mum and Aunt Ginny exchanged glances before gesturing for me to go – oh they _so_ knew.

"Sure." I said following Scorpius to the table set up with an array of various drinks and snacks, the room was filling up quickly with family and friends just like it did every year. "No alcohol. I think Al is going to be particularly bad this year, one of us needs to stay sober. Have you seen he has a hip flask now?"

"I saw." he laughed, pouring us both a tropical punch. "I don't like drinking much anyway."

"You don't?" I'd assumed that every teenager on the planet liked to drink, well, apart from me.

"I don't like how it changes people." he answered surely. "Rarely anything good comes from being drunk."

"I don't like how I lose control." Did I really just say that? Why did I feel like I could tell him my whole life story if he asked? "I mean, well, I don't know what I mean really."

"I do." he smiled. "You like to be able to control what goes on in your life, I get it."

"Does that make me a sociopath?" It probably did, I'd always half suspected it.

Scorpius raised his eye brows at me, shaking his head. "It makes you Rosie"

"I think other people would call me a sociopath." I insisted.

"Then they're misguided." he said clearly. "Hey, you're wearing the necklace!"

"I've not taken it off." I smiled brightly at the blond boy, realising he had a great big grin plastered across his face. The lights from the party were bouncing off his hair, making it lighter than ever and his eyes almost glittering. He really was very attractive, it was very distracting.

"I'm glad." Scorpius quickly grabbed my hand, slotting our fingers perfectly together. "Dance?"

And we did. For hours, in fact.

"Where's Al?" I'd completely forgotten about my alcoholic cousin and frankly didn't care.

"Don't know." he shrugged. "Don't care."

"Me either." I answered honestly. In this moment I didn't care about anyone but Scorpius.

"_10, 9, 8"_ a loud voice interrupted from the flat screens on the wall, everyone shouting along with the countdown. A countdown to a new year, a new beginning. But wait...it also meant something else. Almost panicked I looked up to Scorpius, he too, was looking at me. Was he thinking the same?

"_7, 6, 5, 4" _Would we? Oh Merlin, I think we were.

"_3, 2, 1"_ Scorpius lent down, his hair tickling my face as his lips crashed down on mine his tongue grazing the parting of my mouth as we entered a steady rhythm of pure ecstasy. The rest of the world disappeared as Scorpius kissed me, neither one of us stopping, our bodies fitting perfectly together. Scorpius moved his hands; one resting on the back of my neck the other intertwining itself with my own. You know when I said the butterflies liked to party? Well, I think they've just died and gone to butterfly heaven.

"Wow." Scorpius said as we both parted ourselves. I wasn't sure how long it had been, feeling like both a second and a lifetime simultaneously.

"Wow." I repeated. "Do you think anybody noticed?"

"I'd guess yes." Scorpius and I looked around, various members of my family stood staring at us like we were exhibits in a zoo. Mum was whispering something to my Dad whilst gripping his arm, James' mouth hung wide open but Dom, Lily and Al were all grinning widely at the two of us.

"Take a picture, it will last longer." I finally said, breaking the silence. "Have any of you got a problem?"

"Well, I-" Dad started before my Mum nudged him hard in the ribs.

"Rosie, don't run away." Scorpius called as I did what I did best. I could hear him catching up with me, the front door slamming twice behind me. "Rosie!"

I didn't know what to do. I should be happy, right? Right. Stop it Rose, this is Scorpius. You can't run away forever. I stopped dead, turning on my heel to face Scorpius. I hadn't realised how far I'd ran, I'd made it to a park down the road from the Potter's house with it just visible in the distance.

"I'm sorry." I whispered, not sure what I was apologising for. "I'm not sorry actually. I wanted to kiss you."

What if the kiss was meaningless to him? Just a one time thing? The biggest regret of his life? Merlin help me.

"Don't apologize." he grabbed my hands, placing his palms on top of mine, I hadn't realised I was shaking. "I wanted to kiss you too."

Butterfly update – they were now having some kind of rave.

"I've always wanted to kiss you Rosie." he said before bending down planting a light kiss on my lips. "And I'll always _want_ to kiss you."

"What are we?" I asked, not sure whether I wanted to hear the answer but it was better knowing now rather than later. Though maybe it was already too late.

"We are Scorpius and Rose." he tucked a stray piece of hair behind my ear, sending chills down my spine at his touch.

"Do you want there to be an _us?_" I had to ask. I had to.

"I thought I made that pretty clear when I snogged you in front of your whole family." he smiled at me, pulling me into a tight hug. "Rosie, will you be my girlfriend?"

"Yes yes yes." I whispered into his ear as he lifted me up, my legs locking around his waist. "Do we have to go back now?"

"Not just yet." Scorpius said as he leant in for a kiss that may have been even better than the first. Was I ever going to get used to this?

**A/N – I'm not too sure on this chapter, what do you think? Hopefully the next couple of chapters will be from their trip to France before returning to Hogwarts :-)**


	15. Confessions

**Disclaimer – still not Jo, sadly :(**

We had 4 days before we had to return to Hogwarts after Christmas break and we'd decided to spend 3 of those days using my Christmas present. Whilst my parents had originally told me to pick a date to go to France, they'd banked on me wanting the trip as soon as possible and had already booked us into a hotel just outside of Paris. I'd obviously chosen to take Al, then Dom and Lily as a treat for being so helpful in my many crisis, leaving one spot...which went to Scorpius. In all honesty he was probably my first choice of guest but boy, did it take a lot of persuading for my Dad to allow me to go on an unsupervised break with the boy I'd just snogged in front of him. In fact my Dad had outright refused to speak to me for a good couple of hours, breaking his silence only to forbid me from going with Scorpius before Mum had persuaded him that I was old enough to date whomever I wanted, adding how much she approved of my choice of a...boyfriend. Boyfriend?! That was going to take some getting used to. I often found myself just saying the words over and over again in my head, _I have a boyfriend. _Most girls my age had already had about ten boyfriends, it was normal at Hogwarts to have relationships - we're all together 24 hours a day, seven days a week, things were bound to happen.

It was early as I waited in the living room of the Potter house where the portkey was arranged to send us to our hotel. Whilst being related to the most famous Wizarding family in history can sometimes be a hindrance, it definitely had it's advantages, like portkeys whenever and wherever you wanted.

Dom and I had been waiting for at least half an hour, was everybody in this house incapable of being on time?!

"How's the boyfriend?" Dom said quietly, not wanting my Dad to overhear our conversation probably.

It really was going to take some getting used to, this boyfriend business. "I haven't seen him today. How's yours?"

"I don't have a boyfriend." she said rigidly.

"What?!" I saw Dom and Stephen last night and they were draped all over each other. What had gone on between now and then? I know that Dom insisted that what they had was never real despite her feelings, I was sure it was reciprocated. Every boy was crazy about Dominique Weasley, that was just fact. "Tell me what happened."

"He broke up with me." Dom's voice was steady, taking deep, long breaths between words. "The first boy to ever break up with me and it's the one I actually like. Maybe this is karma. I shouldn't have been such a slut."

"Dom, I, I don't know what to say. Did he say why?" I was shocked. Where was Dom the psychopath? I'd definitely allow her to murder him.

"He said that, that he'd asked Lydia out and she said yes. That our deal was over and I was free to see who I wanted." But I was sure he'd forgotten who Lydia even was. "And I didn't have the guts to tell him I didn't want to see anybody else."

What could I say to someone whose heart was obviously breaking? The strongest person I knew was falling apart in front of my eyes.

"Alright Rosie, Dom." Al bounded into the room trailed by Scorpius, each carrying a backpack. "You both look like you've seen a ghost, cheer up, we're going on holiday!"

I didn't know whether Dom wanted to tell anybody about her and Stephen, it wasn't my place to say anything so I kept quiet, leaving Dom to speak to Al, making my way over to my...boyfriend? Okay, this is weird.

"Good morning." Scorpius pulled me into a tight swinging hug, wrapping his arms around my shoulders and squeezing. Seeing Dom lose the person she cared about made me appreciate what I had with Scorpius so much more – I couldn't imagine never being in his arms again."What's up?"

He really was very perceptive. As well as drop dead gorgeous. "It's nothing." I glanced at my Dad who was lurking in the doorway, one eye on me and one on his conversation with Uncle Harry. If I ignored him maybe I could pretend he wasn't watching my every move. "Have you seen Lily today? We're wasting time here."

If it wasn't either Christmas morning, the first day of school or her birthday it was almost impossible to get Lily out of bed and ready on time.

"I'm ready," Lily looked dishevelled and flushed as she came into view, her hair obviously hadn't been brushed and I'm almost certain she was still wearing a pyjama top underneath her coat. "Only 20 minutes late, I'd call that a success."

"Wow." the portkey had sent us to a beautiful glass panelled building surrounded by bright green lawns and gravel paths, exotic flowers lining the drive up to what must be the reception. "My Dad didn't spare any expense, did he?"

"It's amazing." Scorpius said as he linked our fingers together, setting off toward the reception. Was this how couples acted? I could get used to this. It sent the butterflies in my stomach into a whir as he gently squeezed my hand every so often, dropping behind the other three in a slow pace. "Thanks for bringing me Rosie."

"Of course I brought you." I smiled up at him, his hair almost silver in the light. I was almost sure that Scorpius Malfoy proved creationism – he was too perfect to be a product of evolution. "Before you were my boyfriend, you were my friend, remember? I'd decided on you coming before, y'know, New Year."

He smiled at that as Al chatted away to the pretty receptionist. Maybe it was French thing, being gorgeous, you only had to look at Dom, Victoire and Louis to know that Veela and French was a perfect recipe for being stunning.

"Erm, so who's in what room? We have 3." Al said sheepishly, obviously wondering if Scorpius and I wanted a room to ourselves. We'd been going out less than a week – I may like him a _lot_ but I wasn't about to drop my kecks.

"Well, it's my present, so I get one to myself." I declared, taking one of the keys off Al. "You and Scorpius in one, Dom and Lily in the other. Sorted."

The hotel was truly magnificent, a perfect balance of the old and new merged into a simple and elegant décor. My own room had a double bed with a view looking out onto pretty fields dusted in frost and most importantly my own bathroom. Without a shadow of a doubt the worst part of being at Hogwarts was having to share bathrooms, especially with a number of other girls who spend half their life in there. It was the bane of my life when all I wanted was the brush my teeth in peace at 7am.

A small tap on my door interrupted my unpacking, knowing who it would be I called to come in.

"Your Dad has impeccable taste in hotels." Scorpius said as he moved from the doorway to sit on the massive bed. "I mean it, magnificent."

"I'll be sure to tell him." I laughed, putting the last of my clothes into the pine wardrobe. "Take it your rooms nice?"

"Very." he confirmed, patting the space next to him wanting me to join, which, of course I did. "It feels right doesn't it?"

Scorpius put his arm around my waist pulling me closer to him in a position that could only really be described as...cuddling. "The hotel?"

"No." he laughed. "Us. Together. It feels right."

"It feels nice." Nice? All the adjectives in the world and all I can come up with is _nice_. "Not nice, well, yes, it's nice but it feels like maybe it was meant to be. "

Was that too far? Merlin, he's going to be the one to run away soon.

"I think it was always meant to be." Scorpius said, twirling my hair idly round his finger. "Though it didn't feel like it at times."

"What do you mean?" Well, he probably means my running away at the sheer sight of him.

"I almost gave up hope. In fact, I think we should talk." I felt him take large intake of breath, his chest pushing against my back. "I've liked you for a long time. Longer than you think, probably. You were interesting to me and it annoyed me. I didn't understand why -I didn't like not understanding why- you intrigued me so much. I watched you get sorted, you took a long time and I tried to read your face to work out where you wanted to be sorted, to try to understand what was going on. I never did, in case you're wondering."

"The hat told me that I would be suited to any house, it told me to choose, it was up to me." I filled in the blanks for him, wanting him desperately to carry on with his story.

"Did it really? That I didn't guess but answers my question as to why a Gryffindor was at the top of every class and not a Ravenclaw. I don't know if you remember but my sorting took a while too," I remembered. "it tried to put me in Ravenclaw. Looking back, it was probably right. I spent the whole of first year watching you, not in a murderous way, but if you passed me in the corridor or if I caught a glimpse of you in the Great Hall, I'd try and work you out. I've always been good at reading people Rosie, for me people were like books that I could just flick through and know what they were about, but you were different - you _are_ different. I saw a girl who only spent time with her cousin never really having friends but I didn't know if that was choice or necessity, a girl who got top marks in class but didn't spend half as much time in the library as you'd think, there were so many things about you that I didn't understand. It was...challenging. I didn't know it at the time but I think I was so fascinated because I _liked_ you, I wanted to know you. Then in second year we were partnered in potions and I thought it was finally going to be my chance to know you, which in a way it was. You told me stories about your family, about your life and I didn't want our project to end because I knew that our relationship was based around requirement to work together, not choice."

"You called me barking mad." I giggled at the memory, remembering the times we had together in the library and how I too, looked forward to spending time with him.

"That's because you are." he grinned broadly, carrying on. "I used to go back to my dorm and all I could think about was you. I went over and over that summer about my feelings for you, I was scared; scared about what you'd say, what my father would say, what _your_ father would say and most terrifyingly at the time what James would do to me. It took all my courage to send you that valentine but at the time I felt like it was a step forward, not quite telling you but it meant that I wasn't stuck in the same position I had been."

It was Scorpius. Not Antony. Oh, I was _so_ going to let James beat him up. _"You_ sent me the valentine." I said, taking it in, considering how different my life might have been had I known. "You mean to say I went on that awful date with Antony McLaggen for no reason?!"

"You thought _he_ sent it you?" I nodded. "I wondered why you went out with him, I always found him insufferable. I spent a lot of third year trying to shake my feelings, which for the most part I did, I distracted myself with work, anything to try and get you off my mind. I almost gave up on any idea of us. That all went to pot when your cousin asked me to tutor him during fourth year, he explained how he thought you would be too easy on him when I asked why it wasn't you helping him. We became friends, Al was everything I thought he wasn't, I might have agreed at first thinking it was a step closer to you but that wasn't the case when I got to know him. Al was probably my first real friend at Hogwarts, the Slytherin common room is a lonely place sometimes. Al in a roundabout way helped to get over you, having a friend to spend time with left less time for me to mope around about a girl who had nothing more than a passing relationship with me. I think fifth year was the year everybody grew up, I saw things a little differently, I decided that I was being ridiculous and that I should just talk to you like a reasonable human being. Al was my friend, he was your best friend, I didn't see why we couldn't be friends too. You drove me crazy Rosie, know that, it killed me being your friend and nothing more. Al noticed, he outright asked me after his birthday party whether I fancied you - I swore him to secrecy Rosie, so don't be mad that he didn't tell you."

Albus knew. After I told him how I felt and he'd known all along. Are the French police more lenient on homicide?

"On the train when I told you not to pretend to be Stephen's girlfriend I had an ulterior motive, I knew that I wouldn't be able to watch you with him, it would have killed me. Then when we were put in the same classes I thought that maybe, just maybe, it could happen. I thought that if we spent enough time together you'd like me too, that if you felt even half of what I felt for you for me then you would want to be with me too. Things changed at Halloween, I don't know what but something inside of me changed, you were looking at me differently and you told me to call you Rosie and I knew then that we had a chance. More than ever I thought that there would be a chance that you might fall for me too."

"And then I avoided you." I shook my head at my own stupidity. How could I have been so blind Blind and stupid.

"I was confused and hurt but never angry at you though, never think that I was angry at what you did because I knew that there had to be a reason. Al became unbearable fussing over me, apologising for you, knowing how I felt for you I think he felt guilty."

"I ran away because I was scared." Why was I such an awful person? "I was scared about the way you made me feel."

"I know that now." he kissed my cheek softly, my skin tingling where his lips touched. "Christmas came and I have never felt so relieved as to when you walked into that room Rosie. I was beginning to think that you'd maybe never talk to me again. I felt sick when I gave you your present, I didn't think you'd like it or that you'd think I was being too forward. Your reactions aren't very easy to gage. I stayed up all night thinking about you, repeating the conversation over and over in my head, afraid of forgetting any little detail. That day I'd gone from nothing to sharing the best moment of my life with the girl I'd pined over for years. The rest you know."

"It took a lot for you to say all that, didn't it?" I was still processing his words, not quite believing that I could have such an impact on someone's life so unknowingly.

"I've had a lot of time to think over confessing my feelings for you Rosie. You don't know how many times I've wanted to say all of that." I could swear I heard the relief in his voice. "And now you probably think I'm some kind of mad stalker."

"I think," I took a moment to consider my words, wanting them to be as perfect as his. "that was the nicest, most special thing that anyone has ever said to me. I'm angry at myself, for not realising, for putting you through all of that."

"But Rosie," he tucked the usual stray piece of hair behind my ear, his silver eyes boring into mine. "all that led us to right here, together, how it was meant to be."

"Together." I said softly, matching his smile.

That is the way I intend it to stay. Scorpius' words only left me more convinced that what we were doing was right, that nothing in the world mattered as long as we were together. I could face anything with him by my side.

**A/N sooooo...what does everyone think to that? :-)**


	16. Perfect

**Disclaimer: never gonna be JK Rowling!**

Scorpius' words whirred around my mind over the remainder of the day. I wasn't quite sure how I'd managed to be completely oblivious to a boy fancying me for the best part of six years, it actually troubled me how I hadn't noticed but it didn't really matter, not now. I had however given Al a talking to about keeping Scorpius' feelings from me, all I got was mutterings about "promises" and "bro code" – no, I don't want to know either. The hotel was beautiful and we'd taken a walk after tea in the surrounding fields, I don't think I've ever felt as content before in my life. I was in a beautiful country, with my equally beautiful boyfriend and my best friends. I felt like I was just waiting for something to come along and ruin it all, surely the gods of karma wouldn't allow me to be this happy for long. When Scorpius first kissed me and then asked me to be his girlfriend I never for one minute thought that things would fall into place so effortlessly, that there'd be some initial awkwardness or resistance. Instead, I found nothing but comfort.

"Rosie?" a voice whispered from the door creaking open, startling me. "Are you awake? Can we talk?"

Had someone failed to me that today was Talk To Rose day?

"Sorry if I woke you up." Dom slipped into the bed next to me, pulling the covers over her. "I couldn't sleep and I didn't get to finish what I was saying this morning."

I was a bad person. I'd completely forgotten about Dom and Stephen breaking up when I'd been with Scorpius. I'd forgotten how much Dom was probably hurting and seeing Scorpius and I together wouldn't have helped.

"You can tell me anything Dom, I'm here for you, day and night, rain or shine." I said reassuringly.

"I don't know what to do." she said reminding me of myself at Christmas. "I want to tell him, more than anything I want to tell him but he told me that he loves Lydia."

"He said that?" Note to self: tell James he can beat up Antony _and_ Stephen.

Dom nodded. "They're going on their first date to Hogsmeade when we go back. I don't know if I can face school Rosie, it's one thing to have someone break your heart but to have to watch them with someone else is too much. I don't even _like_ Lydia, she called me fat once."

I couldn't understand Stephen, he seemed completely besotted with Dom, it had been so long that everyone had forgotten about his plan to make Lydia jealous. Somewhere along the way Dom and Stephen had fallen for each other and became a real couple, well, at least that's how it seemed.

"Why did she call you fat?" Dom was many things, fat was not one of them.

"Because I told her that her singing resembled a dying cat." she shrugged. "I'm in a right mess, aren't I?"

I considered that for a moment. Yes, Dom was upset and hurt but it wasn't over.

"No." I smiled at her. "You're Dominique Weasley, the most sought after girl Hogwarts has ever seen and you're going to march into school looking as hot as ever and show him exactly what he's missing."

"But what if I can't do that." she mumbled. "I think I'll cry when I see him. Crying isn't hot, Rosie."

"You've got to be strong Dom, this feeling isn't going to last forever." I squeezed her hand, not really knowing what to do or say. "Stephen needs to know what he's missing out on."

"And what's that? A crying mess? He's gonna be really sad one of those wasn't under his Christmas tree...not." Well, at least she still has a sense of humour. "You're so lucky Rosie. You and Scorpius are kind of perfect for each other."

"We've been dating a matter of days." I told her, though it did seem like much longer.

"Doesn't mean you're not perfect for each other." she smiled weakly. "Can I sleep here tonight?"

"Course." I suddenly realised how tired I was, needing sleep for tomorrow's sightseeing I decided to call it a night, my thoughts an odd mixture of Scorpius, Dom and Stephen before drifting to sleep.

I'd seen pictures of the city, the landmarks, the scenery but nothing ever quite lived up to it because a photograph or a book could never fully capture the feel of a place. The buzz of Paris was something I would never forget for as long as I lived. Scorpius and I split off from the others, wanting to visit a few more places whilst my cousins preferred to go find a McDonalds – how I was related to these people was a mystery.

"In here." Scorpius pulled me into a passing small shop, the walls lined with rows and rows of books. It had an old feeling to it, I imagined it had been here for generations. "You know, we never got the chance to go book shopping."

"I don't think they'll accept your Flourish and Blotts voucher in here." I said realising that Scorpius was the only person besides my own mother that shared my own passion for literature. We browsed through the volumes, debating our favourites and choosing a few muggle classics to buy. If there ever was a perfect place then it would be here – a small bookshop in Paris with Scorpius.

We continued to roam through the streets stopping off for Ice Cream and the occasional picture, chatting about everything and anything. I wasn't sure if Dominique would want me to share her secrets with Scorpius but a male perspective on things couldn't do any harm and he would find out soon enough anyway.

"Dom and Stephen broke up," we were in a small cosy cafe away getting away from the cold, sat huddled in a booth sipping hot chocolate. "he dumped her for Lydia."

"Is she okay?" Scorpius looked as shocked as I felt.

"Not really." I said honestly. "I think she thought they were for real. Everyone did."

"I didn't see that coming, you know after you set him and Dom up all he did was brag about how much hotter than Lydia she was." Remind me again what Dom sees in him?

"Dom's hotter than everyone."

"Not everyone." he smirked making me blush. "What's she going to do?"

"What can she do?" I sighed wishing I knew the answer. "I've told her to show him what he's missing but that's not going to make her feel better, not really."

"She could tell him how she feels?" Scorpius said.

"But that's far too easy." I was so sure that Stephen had felt for Dom how she for him, why can't everything be simple.

"If two people are meant to be together then it will happen, eventually. I'm a great believer in that." Yep. The gods of karma were going to strike soon because surely they couldn't leave me with someone this perfect. "I have good reason to."

It had taken six years but somehow Scorpius and I were together, perhaps all Dom needed was time – time to either move on or get it right with Stephen.

Our time in Paris had come and gone far too quickly and sitting in the Potter's front room with James lobbing crisps at me wasn't quite living up to the Eiffel Tower.

"Rosie." James said throwing another crisp. "Do you still hate me?"

"What ever gave you that impression." I'd quite enjoyed my week or so of not speaking to James, it's a shame that he has to ruin it now.

"But I loooooove you Rosie." Before I had a chance to react James was on top of me trying to mess up my hair, smothering me. "Do you still hate me? I'm not moving until you don't."

"Get off me." I tried to say but I doubted it came out like that. "I don't hate you just get off me."

"What was that?" he moved a hand to his ear. "Couldn't quite hear ya!"

"I said," I wriggled out from underneath his arm. "I don't hate you James."

"That's what I like to hear little one." he said jumping off me grinning the famous Potter smile. "Oi Al, did you get me a present from France?"

"Got you a keyring." Al launched a miniature Eiffel Tower at his brother, probably harder than necessary.

"No, y'know," James lowered his voice to avoid Aunt Ginny's bat ears. "cheap booze?"

"None for you." he smirked as Scorpius came into the room, freshly showered – why did boys look good with wet hair? I just looked like a drowned rat. "Can you believe we go back to school tomorrow, I don't think I could be less bothered."

"I like school." I did – I liked to learn and now I had Scorpius to spend it with it couldn't be better.

"I do too." Al said. "I just don't like the work."

"You've got me and Rosie to help you through you'll be fine." Scorpius was right, Al couldn't ask for two better tutors as best friends.

"Life isn't all about exams little brother." James would say that, he's lucky if he scrapes a pass.

"It is when you want to be an auror." Al said seriously. "Do you even know what you want to do?"

"I have a few things up my sleeve, don't you worry your ugly mug about me." I honestly didn't want to know a single one of those things because whatever James Potter had up his sleeve is better off kept there.

**A/N – another cheeky update on Dom/James! Next chapter is going to be back to school :-) loose ends are gonna begin to get tied up and such**


	17. Lies

**Disclaimer – I wish I owned HP...**

"It'll be okay." Scorpius said as I hesitated at the entrance to the Great Hall. A new relationship at Hogwarts was always the source of gossip but when said relationship involved Rose Weasley and Scorpius Malfoy I could only imagine the whispers and stares that were waiting for me on the other side of the door. Naturally growing up I had been subject to people in the streets stopping and staring when I walked with my parents, they were part of the Golden Trio, saviours of the Wizarding World. This, however, was different. All those times the stares weren't for me, they were for my parents but this was _all_ me. Me and Scorpius.

"I know," and I did know because when Scorpius slipped his hand into mine everything else faded into oblivion. "come on then, I'm starving."

They stared, they whispered and I didn't care.

Really, it could have been worse because as soon as we both sat at the Gryffindor table -albeit with a few choice words to a passing Slytherin from James- people seemed to stop staring and get on with their lives. It appears that Scorpius and I being together was not as much of a shock as I'd first thought and according to the girls in my dorm it was _so obvious Rose, I mean come on, he's the only boy you're not related to you even bother to speak to_. My own mother had even confessed to me that she'd seen it coming since Al's birthday. I guess sometimes love makes you blind. Oh merlin, did I just say love? No. Not love. I don't think I'm in love with Scorpius Malfoy, I think I could fall in love with him though and by some miracle I think he maybe feels the same way about me.

"Where's Dom?" I asked noticing both her and Isabella's absence, glancing down the table to see Stephen laughing with his friends and Lydia at her own house table. At least Dom hasn't murdered either of them yet, I didn't quite fancy visiting time at Azkaban.

"Maybe she doesn't want to see him." Lily shrugged nodding to Stephen. "I wouldn't want to."

"I suppose, but she shouldn't hide away." I'd told Dom to show him what he's missing and taking refuge in her dorm wouldn't do that.

"What the bloody hell are you lot going on about?" James said in between gulps of cereal. "Who wouldn't she want to see?!"

"Stephen..." Lily answered. "you do know they broke up, don't you?"

"They what?!" James' mouth fell open. "Why?! Why didn't she tell me?! I'm gonna kill him. Wait, who broke up with who?"

"He broke up with her." I said in a hushed voice, not wanting to cause a scene, going against all my Weasley genes. "he's with Lydia now."

"No he's not." James shook his head. "Because _I'm_ with Lydia."

"You're _what_?" Isabella's voice spoke from behind James, trailing behind was a tired looking Dom. "James Potter answer my question."

"I'm seeing Lydia, not him." the whole of the table was now watching the exchange, who needed a muggle tv show when you had the Potter-Weasley family. James stood up on his chair, calling over to the Ravenclaw table. We'd gone way past a scene now, this was a full blown blockbuster. "Lydia, come 'ere."

Lydia flushed a brighter red than even I reached at the height of embarrassment choosing to join the Gryffindor table rather than have her personal life thrown across the whole of the Great Hall.

"James, I thought we had an agreement." Lydia muttered, crossing her arms, hovering next to Isabella and Dom. "You said we didn't have to go public, if you hadn't noticed this is _very _public."

"Those lot," he pointed to Lily and I. "told me that Stephen broke up with Dom because he was with you and I simply told them that cannot be true as you are with me. Am I correct?"

"Stephen, what the hell have I told you?" Lydia turned to her left facing a sheepish looking boy who had gone a deathly pale. "I will _never_ go out with you. I thought you'd stopped stalking me. I'm sorry Dom, but he's lying and James is right, I am with him." _James is right,_ those are three words I never expected to hear.

"I can't believe you didn't tell me James." Isabella sniped at him before turning away.

"You have a lot of explaining to do, you have 30 seconds to explain yourself before I kill you," James said to Stephen, ignoring Isabella. "and make it good."

"James, stop," Dom pleaded, speaking for the first time. "isn't it obvious?"

And here I was worried that people would be talking about me and Scorpius this morning.

"He needed a reason to break up with me, it's okay, I understand." her voice wobbled. "I'm fine, it's okay Stephen."

Dom was anything but fine.

"No it's not." James protested. "No-one breaks my favourite cousin's heart and gets away with it. Especially not someone who lied about seeing _my_ girlfriend."

"He's right Dom," Stephen's voice was quiet, a far cry from his usual, confident self though still calm. "I don't deserve you being nice to me. I did lie...about a lot of things."

"Spit it out then." James sounded like he was ready to take on a dragon and win.

"I'm sorry Lydia, I shouldn't have brought you into this, I had no idea about you and Potter." I quickly glanced at Scorpius realising how lucky I was. I could never imagine us shouting at each other across the Gryffindor breakfast table. "Dom, I shouldn't have lied to you about Lydia but I thought you understood."

"Understood what?" James snapped, answering for her.

"That we were never really together." Now even I wanted to kill him. "We had a deal Potter, don't look at me like that."

"That doesn't explain why you lied about seeing Lydia." I told him, not seeing how she fit into the mismatch puzzle of Stephen and Dom's relationship.

"No it doesn't," he confirmed. "I'm seeing someone else, a muggle girl. I just didn't want my parents to find out, they're a bit traditional, you know? But to hell with that now, I guess."

"You could have told me that." Dom emphasised every word. "I wouldn't have told anyone. I could have understood."

"Why are you so upset?" the two spoke directly. "I don't understand. I thought you'd be glad to be free to see who you like."

"_What deal?!_" James was shouting now. "Dom?!"

"Not now James." Al chipped in, shaking his head at his brother.

"I didn't think you were a liar Stephen." Dom said ignoring James, a bit more fire in her words. "Why am I upset?! I don't even know where to start."

"_Al_ knew about this deal? What the hell! _Dom!"_ James muttered. "Did everyone in this bloody family know but me?! This is bloody ridiculous."

"I'm sorry Dominique." Stephen half-smiled, a strange sort of grin that was hard to place. "I didn't mean to hurt you."

"Do you love her?" Dom asked simply, her chest rising and falling in heavy breaths.

"I don't know." this was such a private moment between the two, I suddenly felt like I was eavesdropping on a conversation that shouldn't be heard.

"I don't forgive you for lying to me and I don't forgive you for leading me on." her voice was much steadier now, maybe her inner psychopath was coming out.

"Lead you on?!" Seriously? Could you medically diagnose stupidity? This boy has all the symptoms. "Dom, I, I, never meant to lead you on."

"Well you did a very good job of it." and with that she picked up a glass of orange juice, tipped it over his head and stormed out of the Great Hall. If I were Stephen I'd keep one eye open when I slept from now on, between James and Dom, I definitely wouldn't feel safe.

I looked to Scorpius who had just witnessed his first (of probably many) drama filled Weasley family moments, he hadn't run away yet nor had he moved his hand from around my waist so that's a good sign.

I would say that Dom handled that well -better than I would have- she didn't cry and she didn't hex him so I would say that's an achievement. Stephen however, didn't handle the situation as well - after she'd given him a shower of fruit juice he'd tried to make a run for it, fell over a chair and broke his nose. James wasn't best pleased with Dom's secrecy over her secret deal, whilst she claimed that it was him in the wrong for not telling her about Lydia and the two hadn't spoken since.

"Do you think they'll be ok?" I lent on Scorpius shoulder, we were at our usual bench overlooking the lake. It was a cold February morning but not unbearably freezing.

"Who?" his breath tickled my neck, sending shivers down my spine.

"Dom and James." it had been over a month since the two had said more than _piss off _ or _move _to each other. "I usually like seeing James miserable."

Scorpius laughed, my body moving with his as he did. "You don't like seeing him miserable. You love him. Deep down in there," he pressed a finger to my chest "you want him to be happy."

"Well, not _too_ happy." I admitted. "Dom and James are like me and Al, friends more than cousins."

"And friends argue Rosie, you and Al went months not talking," I suppose he was right, is this how everybody else felt when Al and I were fighting? "they'll get over it all eventually."

"I hope so." I really did, life wasn't the same without Dom and James arguing over dinner. In fact James spent most of his time with the Ravenclaws now, it felt eerily quiet without him and I _never_ thought I'd be wishing for a life with more James Potter than absolutely necessary.

"I know so." Scorpius cuddled me closer to him, kissing the top of my head. Yep, the butterflies were _still_ there, I don't think those little buggers are ever going to leave. "I have a question to ask you Rosie."

"Merlin this sounds serious." I always hated the words _I have a question_ or _we need to talk_, they just never imply anything good.

"How do you feel about spending Easter at Malfoy Manor?" Scorpius spoke quickly, barely audible even. "You can say no, it's just my parents want to meet you. I understand if you don't want to, in fact, I probably wouldn't want to if I were you, you-"

"Of course." I interrupted him. "On one condition."

"Anything." Scorpius grinned.

"You'll be my date to the Valentine's ball." this year the Head boy and girl had decided to host a dance in the Great Hall, the castle was full of gossip about who was going with who, in fact if I had to hear one more "Rose, has Al got a date to the ball yet?" I will be forced to avada whoever had asked, Al for being so damn available and then myself.

**A/N – thankyou for your reviews (they make me update faster...) :) not sure on this chapter! Let me know what you think :-D  
**


	18. Secrets

**Disclaimer – I don't claim to own anything :-)  
**

I think everyone has a low point in life, an absolute peak of misery and pain, where nothing in the world could ever be as bad no matter how long you lived. In fact I would even hedge my bets that the deepest, darkest pits of hell could not be worse than this. A breakfast date with Voldemort sounded more appealing than this; maybe he would buy me a chocolate muffin, who knows.

"Stop fidgeting." Dom moaned, teasing my hair with her wand. I don't know why I agreed to this, the last time I'd allowed Dom free reign of my body I'd turned up to James' Halloween party dressed as a raging slut so I can only explain me allowing her to get me ready for the Valentine's ball as a passing moment of insanity on my part. However, I insisted on choosing my own dress this time round so I wouldn't be confused with a prostitute by the party guests, Dom had huffed and puffed about this but reluctantly agreed in the end. I'd been sat in the seventh year dorms for what seemed like a month being poked, prodded and various potions plastered onto my face. Admittedly it was nice to see Dom smiling for once, if she found her happiness in other people's misery then who was I to stop her. Since her and Stephen's break up there was a spark missing inside of her, it was as if a light had gone out and whilst she functioned properly – getting up, dressed, work, eating- Dom wasn't entirely there. Whenever she looked at you, it was as if she was looking through you at something entirely different, there was never any passion inside of her. Dominique was never one to be...nonchalant, in fact she was probably the most highly strung person I had ever met -after her mother, of course- it was odd to see her so laid back and uncaring. Whilst James and her still weren't speaking, Dom made no real effort to fight with him any more which I was sure annoyed him more than anything. Isabella, Lily and I were the only people she bothered to speak to brushing everybody else off with one word answers and shrugs.

"Are you even going tonight?" The Valentine's ball had become an event in which it was expected for you to take a date, I found it completely ridiculous that it was considered inappropriate to go alone or with friends but that was Hogwarts for you. Maybe boarding school does send you crazy, I'd read about that in a Muggle magazine once_. _Considering Dom was only talking to her female cousins and best friend I found it unlikely that she'd found a date.

"Yes." Dom sprayed something on my hair making me cough. "Alexander Wood asked me last week."

"And you said _yes?"_ I was shocked, maybe Dom wasn't as heartbroken as I thought she was. "Have you even spoken to him before?"

"We kissed once in Fourth year." she shrugged. Was there anyone she _hadn't_ kissed? "Not spoke to him since."

"Do you like him?" I asked.

"I said yes because I was bored and didn't want to be a loser with no date." I wondered if _I_ would be the loser with no date if I wasn't dating Scorpius...probably. "He's hot now."

I could see where she was coming from, everybody in our family had a date to the ball, even Hugo was taking a Hufflepuff girl in his year. Al, however, was very secretive about his date – insisting that yes, he did have one, but refused to tell both me and Scorpius who the lucky lady was. I'd been harassed since the announcement of the ball about who Al was going with, apparently who the two Potter boy's were taking to the ball was a hot piece of gossip around the school. How people can find James Potter in any way a _catch_ I will never know, the only thing you'll be catching from James is some unpleasant sexual disease. Al, in the least incestuous way possible, would make a much better date for somebody than his brother. James and Lydia had long since finished with each other, James insisting that she _wouldn't put out _and was therefore not suitable girlfriend material. I have it on good authority -Isabella- that he was taking a blonde, leggy Ravenclaw called Emma. I found it easier to not attempt to keep up with James' love life, it was often a waste of time considering by the time you'd caught up he was on to the next one.

"Even Louis has a girlfriend." Dom said quietly putting the finishing touches to my make up. I hadn't known that Louis had a girlfriend but it didn't surprise me, again in the least incestuous way possible, Louis was _very..._pretty. Much like his older sisters Louis had too inherited the Veela genes on his mother's side leaving him more beautiful than an average fifteen year old boy, especially now he was taller. "My little dweeby brother has a girlfriend, Victoire has Teddy, you have Scorpius, Lily has Lysander even bloody Hugo has a girlfriend! Maybe I'm going to die alone."

"You are not going to die alone." I spun the chair around to face her. "If anyone is going to die alone it will be James because let's face it, he is _never_ going to get married. Is this why you're so sad? Because you think you're going to end up alone?"

"Stephen didn't love me." Dom said matter of fact.

"But that doesn't mean nobody else will, silly." Did she really feel like this? The most beautiful girl in the whole world?

"Rosie, he was the only boy to ever spend any significant amount of time with me, the only boy _I_ ever loved and he didn't love me back. Sorry if that doesn't fill me with confidence about the future. If he didn't love me, why would anybody else?" he words came tumbling out, tears rolling down her face.

"Stephen isn't every other boy in the world, Dom. You're still in school, there's a whole world out there full of people, people you don't even know exist. You're beautiful, you're clever and most of all you have a good heart, don't ever ever let some idiot teenage boy stop you from letting anybody else in." I didn't know what else to say, how do you comfort someone who was so unwilling to believe the truth?

"What if life isn't like the fairytales? What if there isn't a prince out there for everybody?" she croaked out the words, taking big intakes of breath. "What if I'm stuck with frog after frog?"

"Then you kiss as many frogs as it takes until you find him." I said.

"You're so lucky." Dom had seemingly calmed down slightly, less hysterical.

"Me? Lucky?" Not once would I have expected Dominique Weasley to call _me_ the lucky one out of the two of us.

"You've already found your prince," she smiled weakly. "you look like...beautiful, Scorpius isn't gonna know what's hit him. Take a look."

I did as she said and went to stand in front of the mirror after slipping on my dress, a floor length shimmering gold dress with a heart shaped front. I loved it and had been saving it for a special occasion, it was much too formal for most common room parties but fitted the theme perfectly. It was one of those dresses you see in the storybooks, the kind you dressed your dolls in as a little girl. Luckily it made me look taller and accentuated my pretty non-existent bust and hips. Dom had performed some kind of miracle on my hair – she'd managed to put it into a sturdy up do with two pieces of hair curled around my face with just the right amount of make up on my face and eyes. I suppose I looked...pretty? At least prettier than usual.

Every girl in Gryffindor was running around the common room like a headless hippogriff, screeching about handbags, lipgloss and missing shoes. I decided to slip out alone leaving Dom to tend to a hysterical Lily who was having an "_absolute catastrophe, my shoes are a different shade to my eyeshadow"_, I decided I would be absolutely no help to that situation and would probably only make matters worse by telling her just how ridiculous she was being and that in fact, nobody would notice nor care that they were a slightly different shade of green.

I found myself wandering towards the darkest, and judging by the goosebumps on my arms, the coldest part of the castle. Even now I was dating Scorpius I hadn't made it a habit to visit the dungeons, it wasn't very welcoming and I often got abuse hurled at me for being a Gryffindor by a passing first year. Of course I know that not _all_ Slytherins are evil but some of them most definitely are. I hadn't thought about what I was actually going to do once I got to the Slytherin common room, I wasn't meeting Scorpius for another half an hour and I doubt anyone would be willing to hand over the password. Maybe I could just sneak in behind someone, or ask somebody who looks reasonably friendly to go get Scorpius.

"You lost Rose?" a warmly familiar voice asked from behind interrupting my plans.

"Are _you_ lost Al?" I'd assumed that Al, like everybody else in the school, would be getting ready for the ball in their dorms. "You do know we're loitering outside the Slytherin common room, don't you?"

"I wouldn't say loitering, I'd call it waiting actually." Al was dressed in a smart black suit, his usually messy hair combed into some sort of order. If I do say so myself my cousin looked rather handsome and would no doubt have the entire female population of Hogwarts gossiping about him for the next month. It was about time James had some of the attention away from him and his massively oversized ego.

"I know who _I'm_ waiting for, but who are _you_ waiting for?!" I asked realising just how much I sounded like my Mother, someone avada me, just do it and get it over with before I actually _become_ her.

"You're not the only one with a date Rosie." Al smirked. "I'm on my way to meet someone."

"And are you going to tell me who?!" I questioned, it had been annoying me all week that I still had no idea who Al was taking to the ball. In fact, nobody seemed to know. I'd asked around and everyone was just as clueless as I was. James wanting to torment his little brother as much as possible had made it his own personal mission to discover the identity of the mystery lady and had come to the conclusion that she was a figment of Al's imagination as he'd _exhausted every single source of female information in the school_, I have absolutely no idea what that means but I'd take a guess that it was fairly extensive.

"Nope." Al grinned, now was one of those times where I remembered that he and James were actually brothers and not switched at birth like I'd often suspected.

"Why?" I demanded.

"Because it's a...secret." he shrugged, aware of how much not knowing things irritated me. "I think i've found it."

"Found what?" I sulked.

"The one thing in the world that Rose Weasley is totally clueless about."

See, he definitely knew.

I took a deep breath. "You know Al, it won't take much for me to demote you from favourite cousin. I've done it before."

"When?!" he gasped, his eyebrows furrowing.

"In Fourth Year," had he completely forgotten our 5 weeks of not speaking? "when you ditched me for Scorpius, I made Lily my favourite cousin."

"How many times, I did not ditch-" he hesitated, deciding it better not to start that argument again, it never ended well. "well, that's fine Rosie, because I'll demote you and make Dom my favourite cousin."

"Can't. I'm claiming Dom." I was much closer to Dom than Al was, it was hardly fair that he could choose her.

"You just said Lily!"

"That was then, this is now and I'll demote you and promote Dom." I crossed my arms around my body and huffed. Why wouldn't he tell me who his date was? "Please tell me."

"No." his voice was flat but his smirk told me he wasn't serious about demoting me from favourite cousin, there's no way he likes Dom more than me. Even on my bad days I'm more tolerable than Dom is at the moment.

"Albus, please, we don't keep secrets," I pouted my bottom lip the way I had all through my childhood to get my own way. "I won't tell a soul. Pinkie promise."

"Rosie, I can't," Al moved to sling an arm over my shoulder. "even if I wanted to I couldn't. Not yet. You'll find out eventually. Am I still your favourite cousin?"

"Of course," I smiled unwillingly. "but everyone's going to find out who your date is when you show up to the ball, I don't see why I can't just know now, there's no-one else here and I won't tell anyone."

"Yes there is." he answered simply.

"There is what?"

"Someone else here." Al spun me round to face the entrance to the Slytherin common room where Scorpius leant on the door beaming.

I think this could be one of the rare occasions, where, I, Rose Weasley is actually lost for words. How is it fair that a boy is allowed to be that beautiful?!

**A/N I got not reviews on the last chapter and that makes me sad :( what do you all think of this?!**


	19. First Love

"You're early," he said smirking as Al said his goodbyes and darted off.

"So are you." I said finally able to form a coherent sentence. Maybe Scorpius was part Veela, it would explain the abnormal beauty and he is very _very_ blonde. It would make perfect sense.

"You ruined my surprise," I would definitely have to research his ancestry. "I didn't want to get you a rose, too cliché."

Scorpius pulled a single butter yellow flower from behind his back; it was beautiful, pure. Was this one of those moments that I would remember forever? I hoped so.

"It's a primrose," he smiled as he tucked it perfectly behind my ear, tapping it with his wand making it stay in place."it means first love."

I opened my mouth to speak but nothing came out. Twice in one night, this had to be some sort of record.

"Don't you like it? I-I'm sorry, I thought, I thought it was nice, Rosie you don't have to wear it-" I interrupted his mumblings by throwing my arms around his neck and crashing my lips onto his. Scorpius' kiss tasted sweet, our mouths moving in a harmonious rhythm. For as long as I live I would never tire of his kisses, the way his tongue brushed against mine, they way he gently bit my bottom lip, how his hands felt on the small of my back.

"I love it," I said breathless, breaking away from his kiss reluctantly. "it's perfect."

If there was an award for most thoughtful boyfriend I was sure that Scorpius would win.

"_You're_ perfect Rosie," Scorpius grabbed both my hands, interlacing our fingers.

"Nobody's perfect." I said softly.

"You're perfect for me," he smiled pulling me into a tight hug, the familiar scent of his shampoo hitting my nose pleasantly. "I love you Rosie."

The old Rose would have run away, fled the dungeons and spent the night underneath Al's invisibility cloak. I would have spent the remainder of the school year hiding from Scorpius, ignoring any sort of feelings I had because I thought that if I pretended that I can't feel them then they'll go away. I would have made the biggest mistake of my life. Scorpius had made me realise that love isn't a scary thing, that a relationship isn't to be feared but _embraced_. He'd allowed me to grow up, to not run away like a little girl but to welcome change. I'd changed for the better with Scorpius; I now know what it feels like to love and to be loved.

"I love you too," I kissed him quickly, feeling his smile on my lips. "promise me something?"

"Anything." he said seriously. I was sure that the boy in front of me _would_ do anything if I were to ask, except maybe support the Chudley Cannons, I think even Scorpius would draw the line at that.

"Whatever happens, wherever we end up, we'll always stay in each other's lives." I couldn't imagine a life without Scorpius Malfoy any more. If someone had told me that on my first day of Hogwarts I would have told them they were mentally challenged and should get themselves to St Mungo's straight away.

"Rosie you don't need to worry about that," he chuckled slightly. "but I promise. Forever, okay?"

Scorpius let go of my hand and raised his pinky finger in the air. "And ever." I completed, linking my finger with his.

We walked peacefully to the Great Hall, the corridors buzzing with students all dressed to the nines, couples snogging in corners. In a small way I didn't want to go to the party any more, I would much rather spend the night with Scorpius alone. Sometimes we would go into the grounds in the evenings and just sit for hours, talking about anything and everything imaginable. Tonight was one of those nights where I longed to spend time together like that; talking, holding hands...kissing.

"Do you have any idea who Al brought?" I asked Scorpius, unsuccessfully scanning the room for any sign of my cousin. "He won't tell me."

Scorpius shrugged. "No idea, he's been pretty pre-occupied lately, I haven't tutored him as much."

"Come on, I need to find him," I grabbed Scorpius' hand and made my way around the perimeter of the room, bumping into almost every family member bar Al along the way. "Where in Merlin's name is he?!"

"Maybe he got stood up," Scorpius guessed. "Do you want to dance?"

Dancing was _not_ my forte but Scorpius made up for the both of us as he pulled me around the floor, twirling me around and moving my hips to the music. It had been an hour or so and I still couldn't see Al anywhere, it didn't look like he was showing up and if Scorpius was right and he had indeed been stood up by his date then he definitely wouldn't ever tell me who it was. It's that sort of thing that will stay with me for years, niggling at the back of my mind.

"James," a shrill female voice shouted, interrupting my dance. "Leave. Me. Alone."

I glanced over Scorpius' shoulder, James was stood by Dom and her date, hands on his hips looking alarmingly like a school teacher scolding their pupils.

"Merlin help me. I'll be back in a minute." I slipped off Scorpius, deciding it best to avert any hexes or unforgivables that were bound to fly if left alone.

"I can date whomever I choose to James, you don't have a say in the matter!" Dom moved an arm around Alexander's shoulder and smirked at James, rolling her eyes.

"I do when he's a bloody big prat!" James glanced at me. "Tell her Rosie, tell him he's a bloody big prat!"

"Potter, look, I don't know what your problem is." Alexander looked like he was ready to punch James, I knew that emotion far too well.

"My problem _Wood_, is that I hear your shag stories and Dom is my cousin, I don't want her involved in that stuff." Who knew James actually had some sort of moral compass.

"You do know who your cousin is don't you?" Alexander rolled his eyes. "Mate, I don't know if you've heard but I wouldn't exactly be the first, would I?"

That was when James punched him square in the face at the same time as Dom hexed him. I would have stopped them but in all honesty he was a bloody big prat and deserved it. Of course, Nevi- Professor Longbottom didn't see it that way and hauled all of them into his office, including me, an innocent victim who just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time but was now considered a witness in the whole débâcle.

"Now Rosie love, what happened?" Professor Longbottom, or Neville as we knew him, was always lenient with the Weasley-Potter family but it was still his job to keep us in line and though I knew he didn't like to, he had to be fair when it came to serious rule breaking.

"Alexander was suggesting things about Dom," it wouldn't hurt to lay it on a bit thick though "not very nice things Ne-Professor, she and James just defended her."

"I see." he said, glancing between the four of us. "Alexander, what do you have to say for yourself?"

"I didn't do anything wrong," he mumbled the cloth he was using to stop the nosebleed falling in front of his mouth. "they're psychopaths, the lot of them."

"Dom, James," Neville started "I'm afraid you can't punch or hex people no matter how much they may deserve it, next time lay off the violence. Detention with me on Monday night."

Dom and James both smiled slightly, knowing that detention with Neville was by no means a punishment. In actuality they would probably spend the whole hour drinking tea and eating biscuits.

"Alexander, you will spend your detention with Hagrid, I believe he's always in need of help in the Forbidden Forest," that, however _was_ a punishment. "10 house points from all three of you. Fairy cake?"

Neville shook a tin of iced cakes at us, each of us politely taking one apart from Alexander who stalked out swiftly looking extremely put out.

"Thanks," Dom muttered under her breath. "for telling me he was a prat."

James beamed. "I always have your back Dommie."

"I know." they really did remind me of Al and I...speaking of.

"Have either of you seen Al tonight?!" I asked.

"Nope." James and Dom said in unison.

"He's up to something." I mused, vowing to find out exactly what -and perhaps who- Al was doing. I made my way back to the party to find Scorpius, though Dom and James both decided to call it a night and go back to the common room, promising to be on the look out for Al should he arrive. I was glad that the two were talking again, not only did it mean that I was no longer a go-between for them but I hoped having James to torment daily would make her happier.

Scorpius was chatting to a couple of his Slytherin roomates across the room; I never stopped Scorpius from socialising with his house mates, he just didn't really show any interest in spending time with them. Since we'd been together I don't think I've seen him speak more than two words to any of them, though I suppose he can't be a total recluse in his common room and he did have to have friends before he met Al and I. Daniel Nott and Joseph Zabini, whilst _looking_ scary and capable of brutal murder seemed to be the best of the bunch and did make a point of saying hello whenever they saw Scorpius and I together. I debated leaving him to talk with his friends and going to fill Lily in but my decision was made for me as he said goodbye to the two boys and made his way over to me, arms outstretched as he lifted me into a twirling hug.

"Hello to you too," I said as he placed me gently on the ground.

"Are Dom and James okay?" he asked genuinely, that was another reason to add to my infinite list of why Scorpius Malfoy is the perfect boyfriend, he cared about my family. Not just to be polite but because he _actually_ cares. In fact, he probably cares more about James' welfare than I do.

"They're fine, they're talking now, thank Merlin," I said. "I think I'm done with the party now though."

Scorpius silently led me out of the Great Hall, slipping of his suit jacket and giving it to me as he pulled me outside to our favourite bench in the grounds. It was quieter than usual, all the action happening inside and nobody else was mad enough to want to go outside in this temperature. This is how I would remember school - just sitting peacefully with Scorpius, looking at the beautiful buildings and landscapes of a night time. It was a very visually stunning place Hogwarts, when you spent the majority of your time here I think it's very easy to forget just how beautiful a place it is.

"It's amazing isn't it?" I finally said looking up at Scorpius.

"What is Rosie?" he said dreamily.

"Hogwarts," I snuggled in closer to him, trying to keep warm. "I think it's the best place in the world."

"I think so too." he agreed kissing the top of my head lightly. "It's home."

"Do you think it's possible to have more than one home?" I asked, wondering whether I considered Hogwarts to be home or my parent's house or even the Burrow, loving each equally and for different reasons.

"Home is wherever the people you love are," he said simply. "so yes, because I love you and you are here and I love my parents and they are at Malfoy Manor. I have two homes."

"Good," I broke away from his arms moving to perch on his knee planting a sweet kiss on his cold cheek. "then Hogwarts is my home too."

"I love you Rosie." he whispered.

"I love you too." I said before planting a slow, soft kiss on his cool lips.


	20. Malfoy Manor

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything.**

I wasn't quite sure how it had become the day to go home for the Easter holidays but it had and I was currently in a carriage charging to London with Scorpius, Al, Lily, James, Dom and Isabelle. I had felt sick with nerves all week about today, I would finally be meeting Scorpius' parents and spending the week with them. To say that it had taken some persuading to convince my Dad to allow me to go would be an understatement, I'd received endless amounts of letters informing me that I wasn't old enough to be spending a week at my boyfriend's as well as some ridiculous statements about how the Manor was cursed and that I would leave "_evil". _No, I don't know either. Mum had written me at the end of last week telling me that I was to go with Scorpius and not to worry about Dad, he hadn't sent me a letter since so I assumed she'd gotten through to him. I never understood my Dad, it's as if he's forgotten that him and Mum weren't much older than I when they got together and I know for a fact -thanks Aunt Ginny- that he had another girlfriend when he was even younger than me.

Scorpius assured me that his parents were very much looking forward to meeting me and had no qualms about our relationship, of course he could just be saying that to make me feel better but it was best to believe that than the alternative.

"Al," I raised my head from Scorpius' shoulder turning to look at my cousin. "please tell me."

Nobody knew who it was that Al had been seeing, it was very unfortunate that he had an invisibility cloak because it made following him round the castle very difficult. James and I (it seemed we had found a common enemy) tried effortlessly to find out but we were clueless. I'd even asked my dorm mates if they knew – they didn't of course, and were very put out to learn that Al was seemingly off the market. It was literally the bane of my life and no matter how much I begged, Al would simply smirk and palm me off.

Al sighed. "Rosie, I'm not telling you."

"But why." I whined.

"Because you can't know everything." Al smirked – yep, there it was. I think it was quite possible that at this very moment in time James was my favourite Potter boy. Merlin, the world is ending.

"I bet a galleon she isn't real." James mumbled sleepily, slowly waking from a nap.

"I bet two that she's a Slytherin," Lily chipped in before turning to Scorpius apologetically "no offence or anything."

"None taken," he said cheerily – definitely not a real Slytherin. "I bet -"

"Will you all stop betting on my life?!" Al interrupted angrily. "What is it with this bloody family and having to know everybody's bloody business! I'm allowed a life of my _own_."

Al got up and left the carriage before I had a chance to stop him, all of us looking round speechlessly at one another. Whoever this girl was must be special if he was willing to get this worked up over keeping her identity a secret. I just couldn't imagine wanting to keep the person you loved hidden away from the world, what could be so bad that you felt you couldn't be seen together. I could never ever keep Scorpius and I a secret, I couldn't imagine not holding his hand as we walked to class, waking up knowing that like clockwork I would walk over to the Gryffindor table and find him saving me a seat, goodnight kisses – the little moments we shared.

"Well he's a moody bastard isn't he?!" James broke the awkward silence left by Al. I wasn't sure if moody was the right word – angry, troubled perhaps. I couldn't help feeling a pang of guilt, Al was my best friend and if something was seriously bothering he should be able to talk to me about it. I wouldn't tell anybody, not if it was important to him; I mean if he was taking drugs and was on the verge of selling his soul to Satan then yes, maybe I would tell somebody. But not about who he was seeing. Though when I first started liking Scorpius I didn't tell Al – it was Dom and Lily.

"Scorpius?" I whispered as the rest of the carriage began to chat about their Easter plans. "I've had an idea."

"A _good_ idea?" he asked.

"All my ideas are good," What was he implying?! "I think you should talk to Al. You know, man-to-man."

"Man-to-man?" Scorpius snorted. "Rosie, I will not have the safe sex talk with Albus."

"No, I want you to talk to him about this girl. I think if he'll tell anyone it's you, because you're the closest person that isn't related, plus you're a boy, you have a bro code, right?" I said quietly.

Scorpius tried fruitlessly to stifle a laugh. "Bro code? Seriously Rosie, where do you get this stuff? You're barking mad, you know that?"

"Will you do it?" I chose to ignore his laughing at me, not wanting to draw attention to ourselves by hexing him square in the stomach.

"Just for you," he smiled pulling me close. "I don't think he'll tell me though."

"Well he definitely won't tell me." I sulked closing my eyes for the remainder of the journey, to forget about both Al and my imminent meeting with the Malfoy family.

"Dad," Scorpius and I said in unison as both of our fathers greeted us on the platform. Mr Malfoy looked exactly as I imagined him – tall, blonde and ghostly pale. The resemblance between Scorpius and him was uncanny, although Scorpius had much softer features - I assume he took after his mother there. My father, however, looked as red as a beetroot and ready to blow.

"Rosie are you sure you want to go with Malfoy?" Dad had always called Scorpius by his Christian name, so I assume he meant Mr Malfoy. "You remember what I told you?"

He mouthed the word _evil_ to me very quickly. "I'm going Dad." I said shaking my head at his unsubtle attempts to convince me that by going to stay at my boyfriend's house was the equivalent of paying a visit to Satan. Which of course, it wasn't – I don't think.

"It's very nice to meet you Rose," Mr Malfoy offered me his hand and a smile much to my father's dismay. He really was very rude, I don't know how my mum has put up with him for so long.

"You too Mr Malfoy." I said politely, stealing a quick glance at a beaming Scorpius.

"Dad?" Hugo appeared behind him a massive trunk trailing behind, he always brought too much stuff home. "Can we go? I'm hungry" Like father, like son.

"You'll look after her Malfoy and no," he shifted uncomfortably. "funny business, you hear me? I'm not happy about this Rosie."

Funny business? My dad just said the words _funny business_ in front of my boyfriend and his father. This is up there in the worst moments of my life and _believe_ me when I say the list is full of truly mortifying memories.

"Dad I'll be fine, just go." I could feel my cheeks burning a fiery crimson. "I love you, bye Dad."

Dad sighed resignedly. "I love you too Rosie. Bye, Scorpius," he patted him awkwardly on the shoulder before nodding at the taller man. "Malfoy."

"Weasley." he uncomfortably extended his hand to my Dad who quite frankly looked horrified, quickly grasping his hand for what was probably the first time in their many years of knowing one another. "Scorpius is a good boy."

"I wouldn't be letting her go if he wasn't." …maybe someone had slipped my Dad a calming draft. "Bye Rosie, I'll see you at the platform next week."

And with that my Dad and Hugo disappeared leaving me alone on the platform with the Malfoy's. It could have gone worse, my Dad could have actually brutally murdered Mr Malfoy, that wouldn't have been totally unexpected. I'd say as far as my unbearably over-protective Dad meeting the father of my boyfriend, who happens to be the boy who made his life a misery as a teenager, it went as well as I could have hoped.

Malfoy Manor was beautiful. It was filled with exquisite furniture and art, it was modern but retained a sense of history. I knew what happened here in the war – everyone did- but to look at it now you would say that nothing evil had ever set foot here. Scorpius had given me a guided tour of the house, telling me how once his parents inherited the house they hated being reminded of the war and all that took place here. They'd renovated the whole place until it was unrecognisable. Many people probably wondered why they didn't just sell up and live somewhere else if they hated it so much, but those people had never been to the Manor. The structure, the rooms, the foundations were wonderful and unique – only a very stupid person would give up the chance to live somewhere as beautiful as here. My favourite room in the manor was located on the ground floor next to the living room; the most amazing library I had ever laid eyes on. Filled with not only wizarding texts but piled high of muggle fiction as well, apparently Scorpius' mother shared her son's love of reading.

"Your house...is amazing," I said as Scorpius ended his tour at his own room. Scorpius' room was just as I imagined it would be; clean, spacious and filled with books. My room was next door to his (something my own father would never allow, but what he didn't know won't cause him a premature death). "It's beautiful."

Scorpius smiled. "I'm glad you like it, I was scared it would be a bit...posh?"

"Just because something is nice doesn't mean that it's posh, now if you were some Lord of Cambridge then yes I would say that it's posh, but because you're not posh-"

"Are you trying to say that I'm _not posh_ Rose Weasley?" he feigned shock with a really bad upper class British accent. "Now get out of my manor."

"Make me." I smirked leaning on the doorframe. Scorpius shot off the bed, grabbed me by the waist before he threw me over his shoulder. I always forget that he's bigger than I am and is more than capable of picking me up. "Put me down, put me down!"

We were both laughing uncontrollably – if this was my house my Dad would have stormed in at least 30 seconds ago, bringing a stop to any kind of fun that he wasn't supervising.

"Put you down? Hmmm, put you down, maybe I could." Scorpius shifted me so I moved from his shoulder to across his body, my legs dangling over one arm whilst the other had hold of my torso. Our faces moving closer, Scorpius' lips brushed mine for the first time in what seemed like a lifetime. I was gently lowered onto the bed, suddenly realising what a compromising position we were in as Scorpius leant over still kissing me. We'd never been this...intimate with each other. It was new territory for us but I was sure as hell enjoying it.

"Rosie," he mumbled breathless between kisses. "if you want me to stop, just say."

"I don't want you to stop." I replied knowing exactly what that entailed.

And he didn't stop. Scorpius tongue moved from my mouth and down my neck, leaving a trail of delicious ecstasy.

"Will your Dad come in?" I asked before pulling my top over my head following Scorpius' suit, he was now down to his underwear. If I ever thought that Scorpius was stunning before, now I really knew what it felt like to see someone utterly flawless. Scorpius had a toned stomach and back that made my insides melt, if there ever was an angel on earth I'd expect them to look exactly as Scorpius did.

"He said he was going in to work until 6, my Mum won't be back 'til then, we have time," he whispered, gently nibbling my lips. "if you want to, I don't want to force you."

"Do _you_ want to?" I knew I did, but what if Scorpius didn't?

He chuckled gently. "Are you serious? I love you Rosie." Scorpius said softly before adding "even if you're barking mad."

"I love you too," I said before slipping into a glorious ecstasy as Scorpius and I became one. Since when have I ever listened to my Dad anyway.

**A/N...no reviews on the last chapter makes me sad :( what does everyone think? **


	21. Endings

**Disclaimer – Don't own anything :)**

EPILOGUE

I wasn't sure exactly how it all happened, but somehow it had. I, Rose Weasley, had fallen in love. If someone had told me on my very first day at Hogwarts that in my time there I'd fall in love with Scorpius Malfoy then I would have told them that they are a raving lunatic and need to get their head testing. Of course, they would be completely right because said blonde Slytherin is currently sprawled across my bed snoring lightly, fringe flopping over his face.

Last night had been the leavers party in the Gryffindor dorm, everyone was rather merry off firewhiskey and Scorpius hasn't actually moved in the past twelve hours. I was actually responsible at the party unlike the rest of the school; Al was completely and utterly off his trolley, Scorpius was handing shots to every passer by and even little Lily was dancing away with Lysander until the wee hours of the morning. As it was James and Dom's final party at Hogwarts they took the biscuit and if i'm being completely honest I would not be surprised to find either one of them in St Mungo's for alcohol poisoning today – completely deserved mind. As I was perhaps the most sober person at the party I will most likely be the only one able to recall what happened last night, which was by all accounts a hell of a lot. Though my sole aim of finding out who Al has been sneaking around with came to a dead end after trailing him around for the whole party only to find him innocently chatting to a lot of people, none of which screaming secret relationship.

The real drama of the night belonged to James; he quickly downed some suspicious looking liquid and proceeded to stand on a table and declare his undying love for Isabella - who then fled the room in a mass of angry tears whilst Dom raged at James for being an "attention loving little boy who doesn't understand the meaning of privacy". I have never seen James Potter cry...until last night. Maybe I should have taken a photograph to show Aunt Ginny that he does actually possess feelings (I'm sure she's suspected otherwise), he became a blubbering mess in front of Al and I, weeping about lost love, soul mates and Italian's. I wasn't sure what happened once we convinced him to go and find Isabella and tell her everything he'd just told us. As much as I may wish pain and bad luck onto James at every given opportunity I do believe the way he feels for Isabella is his best feature. Maybe that's just what James needs – love. Al too, even though whatever he's found of love is private to him I know one day he'll be ready to share that love with the rest of us. Wow, I've become a sap haven't I? I think I'll go and tell Hugo that he's adopted to make me feel a little less like my insides are made of rainbows and lovehearts.

SEVEN YEARS LATER

"Amazing, isn't it?" a familiar soft voice whispered into my ear. "I never thought I'd see this."

"I definitely didn't expect it." I said honestly – James Potter's wedding is one that I never banked on. James was stood at the aisle, shifting nervously from foot to foot, head to toe in a smart suit. It was a fairly large wedding, not like mine and Scorpius' last year which was a comparatively much smaller affair with just family and close friends in attendance. Of course James was the most popular person I knew and Isabella had a large extended family so I didn't expect anything less from the two. It had taken a lot of planning to get to this point, I was almost positive Aunt Ginny was one wedding catalogue away from a mental breakdown. "Al looks nervous."

Naturally Al was James' best man. Every so often I would catch him looking to Grant for reassurance before ruffling his hair like he always did when nervous. I loved Grant almost as much as I loved Al – the pair had met at University and it was the first boyfriend Al had introduced to the family after coming out. I never did find out who the mystery boy was at Hogwarts but at least I now know where I was going wrong all that time; I should have been examining the boys that were sneaking around the Gryffindor common room. It was a shock to us all when Al told us but when he'd gotten to the age of 20 without showing any interest in girls then more fool us for not guessing otherwise.

Lily was here too, she now lived in New York as a designer and her visits were now few and far between but it made the times that we did see her even more special. She's brought some floppy-haired American model with her as a date though I'm positive that the next time I see her it will be somebody new, she insists that she simply doesn't have time for a stable boyfriend which is understandable when you're as busy as she is (which I assume is very). Dom also lived an exceptionally busy life; Healer's don't get enough credit for the hours they put in, especially people like Dom who put their heart and soul into the hospital. Though, I don't think she minds spending all her time at St Mungo's when she gets to ogle her new boyfriend Daniel everyday at work – he's a very dishy Doctor.

Scorpius and I don't live as busy lives as Lily but that isn't what we want; it never has been. We're renting a little house on the outskirts of London at the moment, Scorpius can commute to work in the Muggle Liaison Office at the Ministry and I can write at home for the newspaper. If anyone ever says that a simple life is a boring one then they haven't found the right person to lead a simple life with – which I most definitely have.

**A/N - I know it's been a very very long time since I updated but I've been busy settling back into University life and I apologise a looooot! But this is -sniff- the last chapter, I did plan on writing more but I wasn't sure on how regular the updates would be and decided it's best to tie everything up now. I hope you like this and don't think it's rushed, this is how I always planned on ending things. Thank you so much for sticking it out til the end. I love every single person who has read/reviewed this story! What does everyone think? Did anyone guess Al's secret? **


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